Allworth Financial LP lowered its stake in Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report) by 27.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 171,520 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 65,537 shares during the quarter. Allworth Financial LP’s holdings in Southern were worth $16,416,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Other institutional investors also recently modified their holdings of the company. Marble Wealth LLC acquired a new position in shares of Southern during the fourth quarter valued at about $4,443,000. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 121.4% in the 4th quarter. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. now owns 1,767,773 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $154,150,000 after acquiring an additional 969,493 shares during the last quarter. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp raised its holdings in shares of Southern by 29.2% in the 1st quarter. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp now owns 50,628 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $4,887,000 after acquiring an additional 11,448 shares during the last quarter. MUFG Securities EMEA plc lifted its position in Southern by 114.2% in the 4th quarter. MUFG Securities EMEA plc now owns 45,112 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $3,934,000 after acquiring an additional 24,056 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Glenmede Trust Co. NA lifted its position in Southern by 19.1% in the 1st quarter. Glenmede Trust Co. NA now owns 92,289 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $8,908,000 after acquiring an additional 14,798 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.10% of the company’s stock.
Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of analysts have commented on the company. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price objective on Southern from $102.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. KeyCorp lowered Southern from a “sector weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $79.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Truist Financial cut their target price on Southern from $100.00 to $97.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, August 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their price target on Southern from $101.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Finally, Barclays lowered their price target on Southern from $99.00 to $98.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, June 18th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $100.09.
Check Out Our Latest Research Report on SO Southern Price Performance Shares of NYSE SO opened at $89.09 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $102.49 billion, a PE ratio of 21.36, a PEG ratio of 2.35 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $93.09 and its 200-day moving average price is $94.21. Southern Company has a twelve month low of $83.80 and a twelve month high of $100.83.
Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.01 by $0.12. Southern had a return on equity of 12.93% and a net margin of 15.43%.The company had revenue of $6.98 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.23 billion. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.79 earnings per share. Southern’s revenue was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Southern Company will post 4.59 EPS for the current year.
Southern Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 17th were paid a dividend of $0.76 per share. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 17th. Southern’s payout ratio is presently 72.90%.
About Southern (Free Report)
Southern Company (NYSE:SO) is an energy holding company that provides electricity and natural gas services through a group of regulated utility subsidiaries. Its electric utilities generate, transmit and distribute power to residential, commercial and industrial customers, while its gas businesses distribute natural gas and provide related energy services.
The company’s principal electric subsidiaries include Alabama Power, Georgia Power and Mississippi Power. Southern Company also operates Southern Nuclear, which manages the company’s nuclear generation interests, including the Vogtle nuclear expansion in Georgia.
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Assay results reported for 15 drill holes comprising 6,825m of infill and expansion drilling.Consistent, wide intercepts incl. 318m @ 0.49% CuEq (162 – 480m) and 220m @ 0.40% CuEq (32-252m) with higher grades across multiple holes (incl. 12m @ 2.55% CuEq (from surface), 10m @ 1.78% CuEq and 32m @ 1.06% (from 224m)) - among the best grades drilled at Haib to date.Best 6 of 15 drill hole assay intersections as follows: • HM178:
669m @ 0.33% CuEq (53ppm Mo, 0.027g/t Au) (0 – 669m) incl.318m @ 0.49% CuEq (162 – 480m) • HM180:
732m @ 0.30% CuEq (84ppm Mo, 0.023g/t Au) (0 – 732m) incl.286m @ 0.37% CuEq (446 – 732m) and10m @ 0.45% CuEq (48 – 58m) and20m @ 0.42% CuEq (96 – 116m) and26m @ 0.61% CuEq (136 – 162m) • HMRC009:
642m @ 0.30% CuEq (96ppm Mo, 0.018g/t Au) (0 – 642m) incl.108m @ 0.40% CuEq (302 – 410m) and49m @ 0.42% CuEq (249 – 298m) • HMRC008:
558m @ 0.29% CuEq (22ppm Mo, 0.024g/t Au) (0 – 558m) incl.14m @ 0.59% CuEq (246 – 260m) • HM158:
609m @ 0.29% CuEq (61ppm Mo, 0.009g/t Au) (0 – 609m) incl.374m @ 0.34% CuEq (0 – 374m) • HM179:
261m @ 0.27% CuEq (16ppm Mo, 0.040g/t Au) (0 – 261m) incl.32m @ 1.06% CuEq (224 – 256m) LUXEMBOURG, Sept. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Koryx Copper S.A. (TSX:KRY.V) (NSX:KYX) (OTCQX:KRYXF) (“Koryx” or the "Company") is pleased to announce assay results from 15 drill holes (6,825m) received as part of the ongoing infill and expansion drill program on the wholly-owned Haib Copper Project (“Haib” or the “Project”) in southern Namibia.
Haib is a massive, disseminated porphyry Cu/Mo/Au deposit and is envisaged to produce a Cu and Mo concentrate via large-scale open pit mining and conventional sulphide milling and flotation.
Heye Daun, Koryx Copper’s President & CEO commented: “We continue to receive excellent drill assay results from our PFS infill drill program which has recently concluded. Once again, most of the drill results display very wide intercepts, including some high grades from surface. Whilst drilling has completed, assay results are still coming in and further results are expected in the next few weeks. The geological modelling and estimation for the updated MRE and PFS has commenced and we are on track to publish an MRE update and PFS study results before the end of 2026. We are very excited about how the PFS technical work is unfolding and we expect the PFS to describe a significantly optimized and improved project scope with corresponding improvements in the technical and economic metrics of the Haib copper project.”
Infill and Expansion Drill Results
Target Area 2:
Figure 1: Plan view indicating recent drill hole locations. Results indicated in black are shown on the long section below
Figure 2. Long section showing fifteen drillhole intersections relative to the model for CuEq% Intercepts
Target Area 1
HM176 was drilled in the southeast of Target 1, outside the main mineralisation. While generally a lower-tenor hole, it delivered a near-surface hit of 18m @ 0.44% Cu from 38m, including 4m @ 0.87% Cu. This correlates with HM154 (previously reported), showing further eastward extension of this mineralisation. Mo grades are low, as is typical of this area.
In line with the current model, HM184 returned several stacked mineralised zones over 452m, headlined by 28m @ 0.44% Cu from 288m and 6m @ 1.12% Cu from 442m. Molybdenum grades are low but increase with depth. Tungsten is present sporadically, with one 2m interval returning 0.375% W.
HM187 is positioned on the eastern edge of Target 1 and returned only narrow, modest-grade zones, the best being 6m @ 0.36% Cu from 130m. Molybdenum is low-grade throughout.
HMRC004 is located in the north of Target 1 and correlates with the existing copper model, starting in high-grade material with 6m @ 1.27% Cu from 0m, followed by a broader 66m @ 0.31% Cu from 62m. Molybdenum is largely absent, while gold is evident, with two samples returning 0.216g/t and 0.156g/t over 2m respectively.
HMRC007 returned consistent, moderate-grade mineralisation in multiple zones from surface to depth, the widest being 52m @ 0.29% Cu from 232m, including 6m @ 0.54% Cu from 276m. As this is an infill hole, results are largely in line with expectations, although the 26m @ 0.29% Cu from 434m is some 70m vertically below the limit of the current Cu model and represents, to some extent, new mineralisation. Mo is absent, while Au is present at slightly elevated levels deeper in the borehole, providing support to the CuEq grade at depth.
HMRC008 is an infill hole showing excellent Cu mineralisation from surface, with 12m @ 2.39% Cu from surface, including 2m @ 8.01% Cu (the highest grade returned yet at Haib) from 4m. Deeper, multiple Cu zones are reported, the widest of which are 94m @ 0.32% Cu from 16m and 22m @ 0.42% Cu. W is present sporadically, the best of which is 6m @ 0.064% W.
Target Area 2
HM158 was drilled northwards from the centre of Target 2 and returned 374m @ 0.30% Cu from surface. Multiple higher-grade intervals (≥0.37% Cu) are present, varying in thickness from 4m to 14m. Results for Cu are largely as expected. Mo starts relatively low but is well developed between 60m and 300m, providing significant support to the CuEq value here.
HM178 is one of the standout holes, with a broad 318m @ 0.44% Cu from 162m, including 10m @ 0.92% Cu from 214m and 8m @ 1.06% Cu from 240m. Averaging 0.29% Cu over its full 669m, molybdenum is well developed from 160m down the hole, providing good support for the CuEq. Gold is also present, with two 4m intervals returning >0.1g/t Au. Tungsten occurs sporadically in multiple narrow zones, with grades between 0.012% and 0.022% W.
HM179 was drilled in the south of Target 2 and delivered high-grade copper only at the base of the hole: 32m @ 0.96% Cu from 224m, including 10m @ 1.65% Cu from 234m. This zone is also associated with gold, returning two 4m intervals at 0.10g/t and 0.13g/t Au, as well as 10m @ 0.18g/t Au. This is one of the highest-grade Cu and Au intersections returned yet at Haib, and its location, some 70m south of the current Cu model, points to an as-yet-undetected lobe of high-grade mineralisation, though its impact on mineral resources still needs to be determined. Mo is absent for the entire hole.
HM180 is an infill hole that was oriented to intersect the deepest parts of known Target 2 mineralisation, which it has done, correlating well with the existing copper model. Within the first 160m, Cu grades are high, with multiple zones at about 0.4% Cu and higher, the best of which is 26m @ 0.55% Cu. The widest intersection, 286m @ 0.31% Cu from 446m, is associated with high-grade molybdenum (starting at ~160m), which materially enhances the CuEq grade. Tungsten is present throughout, with the best interval being 8m @ 0.211% W.
HM188 was drilled south of known mineralisation to better define the margin of mineralisation and returned no significant intersections of copper, molybdenum, or gold. However, between 150m and 200m, tungsten is quite common, with the best return being 8m @ 0.116% W.
HMRC001 is located in the centre of Target 2 and intersected mineralisation from surface, with 12m @ 0.74% Cu from near surface, including 4m @ 0.98% Cu. The widest intersection, 220m @ 0.35% Cu from 32m, contains multiple intervals at ~0.4% Cu and higher, along with relatively high molybdenum grades. Overall, copper results correlate well with the existing model. Tungsten is present sporadically throughout, with the best interval returned being 12m @ 0.017% W.
HMRC003 is an infill hole located near the northern boundary of Target 2. It opened with 76m @ 0.33% Cu from surface, including 10m @ 0.58% Cu from 36m. Overall, results are in line with the current model.
HMRC009 is a centrally located borehole that intersected multiple broad zones over its length, the widest of which were 108m @ 0.34% Cu from 302m and 49m @ 0.37% Cu, including 4m @ 1.08% Cu. Molybdenum is well developed throughout, bolstering the CuEq grade.
HMRC011 is located south of the known Target 2 mineralisation. Results show this hole to be weakly mineralised with respect to Cu. The intersection of 8m @ 0.41% Cu from 324m (with Mo @ 221ppm) is still well south of Target 2 and may represent a peripheral, mineralised, cross-cutting structure.
Table of Significant Intersections
Hole#ZoneFrom (m)To (m)Width (m)1Cu (%)Mo (ppm)Au (g/t)CuEq (%)2HM158X: 781666, Y 6822670, Z: 429, Azimuth: 015, Dip: -61, Depth 610 HM158Entire Hole06096090.26610.0090.29Main03743740.30880.0090.34Including121860.48430.0040.49Including5868100.392020.0050.46Including11612480.43620.0180.46Including14615260.48280.0200.51Including18819680.471010.0150.52Including21221640.348420.0160.65Including286300140.373730.0160.51Including32433060.71400.0180.74Main416428120.3030.0110.31Main464482180.33250.0190.36HM176X: 782220, Y 6821988, Z: 572, Azimuth: 013, Dip: -80, Depth 204 HM176
Entire Hole02042040.12110.0180.13Main3856180.44200.0530.49Including465040.87640.0760.95HM178X: 781637, Y 6822490, Z: 489, Azimuth: 023, Dip: -59, Depth 669 HM178
Entire Hole06696690.29530.0270.33Main3058280.32220.0250.34Including344060.55270.0340.58Main11412060.36350.0310.39Main138148100.4040.0350.42Main1624803180.44890.0320.49Including214224100.924010.1141.15Including224240160.68550.0590.75Including24024881.061250.0681.15Including254264100.472480.0390.59Including36637480.451080.0260.51Including42443280.461300.0270.53Including452462100.69530.0310.73Main528552240.31180.0310.34HM179X: 781574, Y 6822207, Z: 549, Azimuth: 195, Dip: -59, Depth 261 HM179
Entire Hole02612610.24160.0400.27Main224256320.96490.1151.06Including234244101.6570.1771.78HM180X: 781484, Y 6822542, Z: 487, Azimuth: 023, Dip: -72, Depth 732 HM180
Entire Hole07327320.26840.0230.30Main4858100.42320.0310.45Main96116200.39300.0300.42Main136162260.55620.0500.61Including15215640.88740.0860.97Main162188260.231720.0190.30Main202218160.213020.0180.33Main242266240.28460.0340.32Including24624820.943440.0871.13Main278294160.27620.0180.31Main384410260.31880.0270.36Including38839460.45860.0380.51Main4467322860.311080.0240.37Including48849460.443190.0400.59Including654664100.432810.0260.55Including67267860.51770.0250.56Including68469060.512310.0350.62Including71071880.401620.0290.48HM184X: 782071, Y 6822357, Z: 438, Azimuth: 191, Dip: -72, Depth 452 HM184
Entire Hole04524520.22420.0180.25Main3246140.32490.0330.36Main5264120.29400.0270.32Main94110160.45200.0290.48Main244272280.39410.0200.42Including25025220.85750.0350.90Including25625821.96480.0932.04Main288316280.44810.0350.50Including29029660.75670.0500.81Main40241080.491970.0360.58Including40240640.671870.0430.77Main44244861.121420.0461.21HM187X: 782234, Y 6822415, Z: 425, Azimuth: 191, Dip: -65, Depth 332 HM187
Entire Hole03323320.13180.0150.14Main162260.34240.0210.36Main13013660.36110.0300.38Main184194100.27850.0300.32HM188X: 781520, Y 6822141, Z: 578, Azimuth: 192, Dip: -60, Depth 204 Entire Hole02042040.12350.0150.14HMRC0013X: 781445, Y 6822953, Z: 408, Azimuth: 038, Dip: -87, Depth 459 HMRC001
(previously reported to 243m)
Entire Hole04594590.30750.0190.34Main416120.741280.0240.81Including101440.981960.0281.07Main322522200.35990.0200.40Including465260.542010.0170.63Including12413060.613020.0250.73Including13614480.511710.0330.60Including16416840.491930.0230.58Including19419840.58700.0290.63Including23624040.49220.0270.52Main262282200.281590.0100.34Main312378660.32480.0170.35Including362376140.43490.0200.46HMRC0033X: 781538, Y 6823129, Z: 426, Azimuth: 018, Dip: -67, Depth 446 HMRC003
(previously reported to 138m)
Entire Hole04464460.20510.0110.23Main076760.33690.0110.37Including3646100.58610.0120.61Main232242100.303190.0110.43Main266280140.31730.0170.35HMRC0043X: 781974, Y 6822625, Z: 390, Azimuth: 188, Dip: -77, Depth 411 HMRC004
(previously reported to 243m)
Entire Hole04114110.2080.0330.22Main0661.27160.0131.29Main62128660.31120.0490.35Including6476120.54460.0780.61HMRC0073X: 781876, Y 6822579, Z: 419, Azimuth: 186, Dip: -86, Depth 504 HMRC007
(previously reported to 231m)
Entire Hole05045040.22130.0300.24Main0660.3890.0220.39Main142060.30640.0240.34Main243280.27510.0260.30Main404880.32190.0280.35Main102112100.3690.0370.39Main214231170.3990.0560.44Main232284520.29120.0450.33Including27628260.54120.0500.58Main36237080.3770.0270.39Main434460260.2930.0390.32HMRC0083X: 781833, Y 6822527, Z: 439, Azimuth: 225, Dip: -86, Depth 558 HMRC008
(previously reported to 231m)
Entire Hole05585580.27220.0240.29Main012122.391350.1482.55Including4628.013300.3428.38Main16110940.32290.0280.35Including485460.58250.0410.62Including10010660.59790.0530.65Main180202220.42110.0410.45Including190200100.57140.0530.61Main216230140.4260.0570.47Including22422840.7290.0790.78Main246260140.482340.0380.59HMRC0093X: 781525, Y 6822814, Z: 437, Azimuth: 039, Dip: -85, Depth 642 HMRC009
(previously reported to 243m)
Entire Hole06426420.25960.0180.30Main028280.44770.0300.49Including21080.641100.0360.71Main70146760.241610.0180.31Including808660.361420.0190.43Main170184140.302390.0200.40Including18018440.444600.0290.63Main196214180.271640.0190.34Main249298490.371180.0160.42Including26627041.082510.0421.20Main3024101080.341200.0210.40Including34635040.641580.0390.73Including38839240.93750.0490.99Main428464360.311510.0240.38Including45846240.78470.0410.82HMRC011X: 781382, Y 6822347, Z: 573, Azimuth: 018, Dip: -80, Depth 345 HMRC011
Entire Hole03453450.10400.0140.13Main32433280.412210.0400.52 Legend:%CuMo(ppm)Au (g/t)%CuEq<0.4<100<0.10<0.40.4 - 0.5100 - 200≥ 0.100.4 - 0.50.5 - 0.7200 - 1,000 0.5 - 0.70.7 - 1.0≥ 1,000 0.7 - 1.01.0 - 3.0 1.0 - 3.0≥ 3.0 ≥ 3.0 True widths are unknown. Widths are interval widths and not true widths. The reported intervals are calculated using the following parameters: Only CuEq (%) was used to determine the intervals.The target composite grade is ≥0.30% CuEq.Composites start and end with samples ≥0.30% CuEq.Grades between 0.20% and 0.30% are included in interval but generally constitute <40% of the interval.Consecutive samples between 0.20% and 0.30% should be fewer than 5 samples (10m).Grades below 0.20% are included but generally constitute <20% of the interval.Consecutive grades <0.2% should be fewer than 2 samples (4m). Mineral Resource (MRE) copper equivalent (CuEq%) values have been calculated using commodity type and price considering the relevant recovery rate. The following metal prices were used Cu US$4.54/lb; Mo US$22.68/lb; Au US$4,000/oz along with the following recoveries indicated from test work, Cu 89%; Mo 65% and Au 50%. The CuEq was then calculated using CuEq = [(Cu grade/100 * 0.89 Cu recovery * 2204.62 * $4.54 Cu price/lb) + (Mo ppm/1000000 * 0.65 Mo recovery * 2204.62 * $22.68 Mo price/lb) + (Au grade * 0.50 Au recovery * 4000 Au price/oz / 31.1035)] / [0.89 Cu Recovery * 2204.62 * $4.54 Cu price/lb]Partial results previously reported. Quality Assurance / Quality Control
All drill core is HQ sized at collar and reduced to NQ size in fresh rock. The core was all logged, photographed, and cut in half with a diamond saw. Half of the core was bagged and sent to ALS Laboratories Ltd. in Johannesburg, South Africa for analysis (SANAS Accredited Testing Laboratory, No. T0387) and ActLabs in Canada, while the other half was quartered with one quarter archived and stored on site for verification and reference purposes while the other quarter will be used for metallurgical test work. 33 elements are analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) utilizing a 4-acid digestion and gold is assayed for using a 30g fire assay method. Duplicate samples, blanks, and certified standards are included with every batch and are actively used to ensure proper quality assurance and quality control (“QA/QC”) The QA/QC frequency is 1 in 20 for each of blanks, duplicates and standards.
Qualified Persons
Mr. Dean Richards, BSc. (Hons) Geology, Pr.Sci.Nat., MGSSA – is the Qualified Person for the Haib Copper Project and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr.Sci.Nat. No. 400190/08). Mr. Richards is independent of the Company and its mineral properties and is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.
About Koryx Copper S.A.
Koryx Copper S.A. is a Luxembourg domiciled copper development Company focused on advancing its 100% owned Haib Copper Project in Namibia whilst also building a portfolio of copper exploration licenses in Zambia. Haib is a large copper porphyry deposit in southern Namibia with significant gold and molybdenum credits and a long history of exploration and project development by multiple operators.
More than 155,000m of drilling has been conducted at Haib since the 1970’s with significant exploration programs led by companies including Falconbridge (1964), Rio Tinto (1975), Teck (2014) and Koryx Copper (2021-2026). Extensive further drilling, metallurgical testing and various technical studies have been completed at Haib. Additional studies are underway aiming to demonstrate Haib as a future long-life, low-cost, low-risk open pit, sulphide milling and flotation copper project with additional heap leach potential.
Mineralisation at Haib is typical of a porphyry copper deposit and is dominantly chalcopyrite with minor bornite and chalcocite present and only minor secondary copper minerals at surface due to the arid environment. Haib is one of only a few examples of a Paleoproterozoic porphyry copper deposit in the world. Due to its age, the deposit has been subjected to multiple metamorphic and deformation events but still retains many of the classic mineralisation and alteration features typical of these deposits.
Further details of the Haib Copper Project are available in the technical report titled “March 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate Haib Copper Project, Namibia, National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report” dated effective March 16, 2026. The report and other information are available on the Company's website at www.koryxcopper.com and under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Additional information is also available by contacting the Company:
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the future or prospects of the Haib project or the Company, including prospective production rates and life-of-mine, the timing of publishing a PFS, the commencement of trading of the Shares under the new Company name, and the effective date of the new CUSIP and ISIN assigned to the Shares. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect ", "is expected ", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, other factors may cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management discussion and analysis. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
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Key Takeaways SO benefits from surging data center demand and more than 17 GW of contracted load.Its $81B capital plan through 2030 supports 9% projected rate-base growth at regulated utilities.Heavy investment, equity needs, higher borrowing costs and regulatory risks could pressure returns. Southern Company (SO - Free Report) is a major U.S. utility that provides electricity and natural gas all over the Southeast through regulated utilities and competitive energy businesses. The company’s second-quarter results highlighted continued growth in electricity demand, supported by data centers and large industrial customers, while ongoing investments in generation, grid modernization and renewable energy strengthened its long-term growth prospects.
SO’s stable regulated revenues, diversified operations and expanding data center projects position it to benefit from rising power demand and the transition to cleaner energy. With its broad scale and strategic investments, Southern Company remains a key part of the region’s energy infrastructure and is building a foundation for future financial performance.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Southern Company’s 2026 earnings has increased 6.74% to $4.59 per share, while the 2027 estimate has risen 7.12% to $4.91. These upward revisions suggest growing analyst confidence in the company’s earnings outlook.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
For investors, the pressing question is whether now is the right time to buy Southern Company stock or to wait. Let’s explore what makes the company an attractive investment and the potential risks that could influence that decision.
Why SO Stock Remains AttractiveAccelerating Electricity Demand: Southern Company is benefiting from accelerating electricity demand in the Southeast, particularly from data centers and large industrial customers. Weather-normal retail electricity sales rose 2.3% year to date, the strongest first-half growth in nearly two decades, while data center usage increased 55% year over year, supporting a durable load-growth outlook.
Large Pipeline of Contracted Demand: Southern Company has secured a substantial pipeline of large-load demand that can support utility growth. Contracts and agreements across its electric subsidiaries now exceed 17 gigawatts by the mid-2030s, while more than 75 gigawatts remain in the prospective pipeline and another 8 gigawatts are in late stages, including 3 gigawatts expected soon.
Long-Term OpenAI Contract: SO’s subsidiaryGeorgia Power's 3.2-gigawatt, 25-year contract with OpenAI provides Southern Company with long-duration demand visibility. The project is expected to begin service in phases from 2028 and includes 1 gigawatt of flexible demand response. The contract adds load while supporting reliability during periods of peak demand.
Customer Protections on Large-Load Contracts: Southern Company's large-load contracting structure reduces the risk that existing customers will bear the full cost of serving new data centers. Management said contracts include minimum bills covering at least 100% of incremental service costs, while many also include termination payments and high-quality collateral. Some dedicated assets also require customer contributions.
Strong Regulated Capital-Growth Opportunity: Southern Company has significant regulated investment opportunities, with its presentation showing $81 billion of projected capital expenditures from 2026 through 2030. About 95% is expected in state-regulated utilities, supporting projected rate-base growth of 9%. This provides a visible framework for long-term earnings expansion.
Risks That Could Weigh on SO’s SharesVery High Capital Requirements: Southern Company faces substantial financing needs because rapid demand growth requires heavy investment in generation, transmission and distribution. The company used $6.76 billion for investing activities in the first six months of 2026, primarily for construction programs, while financing activities provided $3.83 billion. Continued capital intensity could pressure leverage and returns.
Continued Need for Equity Financing: Southern Company's growth strategy is increasingly dependent on external financing and additional equity. Management said it sourced another $700 million of equity in the second quarter and still expects $1.1 billion of remaining equity needs through 2030. Although the plan supports credit quality, additional share issuance can dilute per-share earnings.
Higher Borrowing Costs: Rising debt costs remain a headwind as Southern Company expands its infrastructure. Second-quarter interest expense at Georgia Power increased $30 million to $228 million, while higher average borrowings and interest on finance-lease power purchase agreements contributed to the increase. Continued construction spending could require more borrowing and keep interest expense elevated.
Regulatory Cost-Recovery Risk: Southern Company's earnings remain exposed to regulatory cost recovery and affordability pressures. Its traditional electric businesses must obtain timely recovery for major investments while customers face affordability concerns. Management also identifies capital access and revenue recovery risks tied to data center growth, so planned investments may not earn the expected returns.
Underwhelming Returns Raise Concerns: Over the past 12 months, SO has significantly underperformed both its peers and the broader utilities market, declining approximately 3%, against gains of 13.1% for the Electric Power sub-industry (ZSI193M) and 8.7% for the Utilities Sector (ZS14M). This weak relative performance highlights SO’s inability to keep pace with the broader utility sector.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Final Verdict on SO StockSO benefits from accelerating electricity demand in the Southeast, particularly from data centers and industrial customers, with retail sales up 2.3% year to date and data center usage rising 55% year over year. Its more than 17-gigawatt contracted demand pipeline, 25-year 3.2-gigawatt OpenAI agreement, customer protections on large-load contracts and $81 billion regulated capital-investment plan provide strong long-term growth and earnings visibility.
However, the company faces very high capital requirements, continued reliance on equity financing that could dilute per-share earnings, rising borrowing costs and increased interest expense. Regulatory cost-recovery and affordability concerns could limit returns on planned investments, while the stock’s roughly 3% decline over the past 12 months has significantly lagged the Electric Power sub-industry and the Utilities sector. Given this mix of strengths and potential challenges, investors should wait for a more opportune entry point instead of adding this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) utility stock to their portfolios.
Key PicksInvestors interested in the utility sector might look at some better-ranked stocks like Enel Chile S.A. (ENIC - Free Report) , CenterPoint Energy (CNP - Free Report) and Exelon (EXC - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Enel Chile S.A. is worth approximately $6.16 billion. It is a leading power company in Chile. Enel Chile is engaged in electricity generation, transmission and distribution, with a growing focus on renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure.
CenterPoint Energy is worth approximately $26.13 billion. It is a major U.S. utility. CenterPoint Energy delivers electricity and natural gas to customers across several states, supported by regulated operations and ongoing investments in grid modernization.
Exelon is worth approximately $45.05 billion. It is one of the largest regulated utilities in the United States. Exelon serves millions of customers through its regional electric and gas utilities while investing in grid reliability, clean energy and infrastructure upgrades.
Company highlights important safety information and resources to help customers prepare for emergencies
, /PRNewswire/ -- As the peak of hurricane season approaches, Georgia Power is reminding its 2.8 million customers to be prepared for emergencies. In support of National Preparedness Month, the company is once again partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency throughout September.
While the state has not yet experienced a major hurricane or tropical storm this season, National Preparedness Month encourages advance preparation for all types of potential emergencies in homes, businesses and communities.
Georgia Power continues to invest in a stronger, more resilient electric grid that improves reliability for customers on both blue-sky days and during severe weather. Through Smart Grid technology, automation and self-healing capabilities, the company can identify outages faster, reroute power remotely and restore service more efficiently. In 2025 alone, Grid Investment Program projects improved reliability for more than 535,000 customers and, together with self-healing technology, prevented 108 million customer outage minutes while playing a critical role during hurricane season.
Georgia Power encourages all customers to take proactive measures to safeguard their homes and families before disasters strike, including:
Build an emergency kit – Gather enough supplies to sustain everyone in your household for several days, including food, water, medications, and other essentials. Be sure to consider the unique needs of each family member and pet, especially if an evacuation becomes necessary. It's also a good idea to prepare a grab-and-go emergency kit with essential items so you can evacuate quickly if needed. Have an emergency plan – Develop an emergency plan and discuss it with your family and close friends before an emergency. Establish how you will communicate, where you will meet and what steps you will take if you need to evacuate or shelter in place. Planning ahead can help reduce stress, save valuable time and minimize costs during an emergency. Understand your risks – Understand your risks by learning about the hazards and emergencies most likely to affect your area. Knowing what could happen where you live, work and travel can help you make informed decisions and take the right steps to protect yourself, your family and your property. Visit the company's Storm Center page for more information on preparing your home, building an emergency kit, and knowing your risks. Staying informed during emergencies such as hurricanes, tornadoes and severe thunderstorms is critical, and Georgia Power offers the following resources to help customers stay connected and informed:
Outage Alerts – Customers subscribed to the free Georgia Power Outage Alerts service will receive personalized notifications and updates via text message. Check that your contact number is up to date to receive the latest information. Outage & Storm Center – Available at www.GeorgiaPower.com/Storm, customers can visit this site to ensure their contact information is updated to receive Outage Alerts, report and check the status of outages, and access useful safety tips and information. Customers can also report and check the status of an outage 24 hours a day by contacting Georgia Power at 888-891-0938. Outage Map – Housed within the Outage & Storm Center, Georgia Power's interactive Outage Map provides near real-time information, allowing users to see where outages are occurring across the state and track estimated restoration times. The map is updated regularly from teams in the field. Georgia Power Mobile App – Download the Georgia Power mobile app for Apple and Android devices to access storm and outage information on the go. Social Media – Follow Georgia Power on Facebook, Instagram and X for storm tips, outage updates, customer service and more. Safety Tips for Customers and Crews
Watch for Georgia Power crews working across the state. If you must be on the roads, please move over one lane for utility vehicles stopped on the side of the road; it's Georgia law. Never touch any downed or low-hanging wire. If going out, watch for and avoid down wires. They can be deadly. Never pull tree limbs off power lines yourself or enter areas with debris or downed trees, as downed power lines may be concealed. Customers should call 911 or Georgia Power immediately if they see a fallen or low-hanging power line. Take care if using a portable generator. Follow all manufacturer instructions, avoid using generators in enclosed spaces and be mindful of electrical safety. Visit our website for more generator safety tips. About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Investors who don’t live in the South might not know Nashville-based FB Financial NYSE: FBK. But maybe they should.
The banking company is a year into absorbing a major southern acquisition while earnings surge, loans grow, and aggressive buybacks are boosting shareholder returns.
All seven analysts covering FBK have issued a Buy/Strong Buy rating on the stock. And, since July, two analysts have raised their price targets.
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Overall, the consensus 12-month price target is $64.67, implying about a 15% upside. The highest 12-month target is $67, while the lowest is $63. That tight range suggests analysts are broadly aligned on FB Financial’s current valuation.
Southern States Deal Expands FB Financial’s Southeast FootprintFB Financial Today
FBK
FB Financial
$57.18 +0.19 (+0.32%)
As of 01:55 PM Eastern
This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.
$49.24▼
$62.651.47%
15.33
$64.67
Much of the past year’s growth came as the company, parent of FirstBank, pushed its footprint deeper into Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and Georgia.
In July 2025, the company closed its acquisition of Southern States Bancshares, parent of Southern States Bank in Anniston, Alabama, in a deal valued at roughly $368.4 million at closing.
The merger instantly added $2.9 billion in assets, $2.3 billion in loans and $2.5 billion in deposits, significantly expanding FB Financial’s scale across the Southeast.
In its Q2 2026 earnings report, FB Financial noted net income of $58.6 million, or GAAP diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.13, compared with just $2.9 million, or six cents per share, a year earlier. Non-GAAP EPS came in at $1.14, up from 88 cents a year earlier, essentially matching the consensus estimate of $1.14. The sharp increase in earnings was amplified by a large securities loss in the prior-year quarter, but the adjusted results still show meaningful underlying earnings growth.
Revenue of $174.75 million was more than double the year-ago figure, though it landed a shade below Wall Street's forecast.
Organic Loan and Deposit Growth Strengthens the StoryBeyond the acquisition-driven increase in scale, FB Financial is also seeing solid underlying growth in loans, deposits, and net interest income.
Total assets stood at $16.8 billion as of the second quarter, up from $13.4 billion a year ago, but the more important signal is what happened after the deal: loans grew at an 11.6% annualized pace, while noninterest-bearing deposits increased at a 16.7% annualized rate.
For a regional bank, that combination matters. Loan growth provides additional earning assets, while growth in noninterest-bearing deposits can help keep funding costs under control. Net interest income climbed to $149 million from $146 million the prior quarter and $111.4 million a year earlier.
Pre-tax, pre-provision net revenue rose roughly 8% to $83.3 million over the past three months, pushing that profitability measure above 2% of average assets. Management nevertheless remains more measured about the full year, guiding for mid-to-high-single-digit loan growth and a core net interest margin of 3.7% to 3.8%, excluding purchase-accounting accretion.
Dividend Growth and Buybacks Support Per-Share Returns FB Financial Dividend Payments1.46%
$0.84
8 Years
16.12%
22.52%
Aug. 25
FBK Dividend History
Returning capital to shareholders is also part of the picture.
FB Financial's board raised the quarterly dividend 10.5% to 21 cents per share in January 2026.
At current prices, that works out to a dividend yield near 1.5%, modest by bank-stock standards, but the approximately 22.5% payout ratio leaves considerable earnings available for growth and additional capital returns.
Buybacks have become the larger lever.
The board authorized a new $175 million share-repurchase program in April 2026, which runs through June 2027.
The company has been using this approach aggressively, buying back 3% of its outstanding shares in the second quarter alone.
A lower share count can magnify per-share earnings growth if operating performance continues to improve.
Integration and Credit Quality Remain the Key RisksWhile showing limited risks on its books, investors might want to keep an eye on a couple things.
The biggest risk is probably execution. FB Financial completed a $478 million merger with Franklin Financial Network in 2020, expanding its Nashville-area footprint. With the Southern States purchase, the company has now taken on a second sizable acquisition, and integrating Southern States while still growing loans in the double digits leaves less room for error.
FB Financial also hit a bump in its loan portfolio in the second quarter. The company’s nonperforming loans as a percentage of total loans increased to 1.17% by the end of the second quarter compared with just 0.96% in the prior quarter.
That increase, however, was not systemic. Nonperforming loan increases in the second quarter were concentrated in three borrower-specific relationships rather than evidence of broader portfolio weakness. Overall net charge-offs stayed at a low six basis points annualized, and the allowance ratio held at 1.51%.
Like any regional bank, competition is also an issue. FB Financial fights alongside Southeast peers such as Pinnacle Financial Partners NYSE: PNFP, Ameris Bancorp NASDAQ: ABCB, First Horizon NYSE: FHN, and Regions Financial NYSE: RF, all competing for the same growing Southeast deposit and lending base.
What Investors Should Watch Ahead of Q3 EarningsFB Financial Stock Forecast Today12-Month Stock Price Forecast:
$64.67
12.71% Upside
Buy
Based on 7 Analyst Ratings
Current Price$57.38High Forecast$67.00Average Forecast$64.67Low Forecast$63.00FB Financial Stock Forecast Details
With less than $20 billion in assets, FB Financial is not a major banking institution. But its fundamentals stand on their own.
Adjusted earnings are growing, loans and low-cost deposits continue to expand, and credit costs remain relatively low.
At the same time, the company is returning capital through dividends and share repurchases.
The question now is whether FB Financial can maintain that momentum as the acquisition moves further into the integration phase.
There are risks, but they appear to be minimal. The integration is still fresh, and a handful of borrower-specific credit flags need to keep resolving cleanly.
Investors who understand regional banking could find some value, while more cautious investors might want to wait for next month’s third-quarter earnings release to see whether loan growth, margins, and credit quality remain on track.
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Shares in Borders & Southern Petroleum (AIM:BOR), the AIM-listed oil and gas explorer with licences in the Falkland Islands, fell 15% to 9.78p on Friday.
The drop came after Argentina's president, Javier Milei, said he would speed up sanctions against companies involved in oil extraction projects near the islands.
In a televised address on Thursday night, Milei named British firm Rockhopper Exploration and its partner Navitas Petroleum as the primary targets of the measures.
He also referenced other companies holding exploration licences in the region, a group that includes Borders & Southern.
The AIM-listed group holds a 100% interest in three production licences and a discovery area licence covering nearly 10,000 square kilometres of the South Falkland Basin.
Its main asset is the Darwin discovery, part of licences estimated to contain 462 million barrels of recoverable liquid hydrocarbons.
Milei's speech came as he cited comments from Donald Trump, who suggested this week that the US could reconsider its historic position on the islands' sovereignty.
The Argentine president said "winds of change" now favoured his country's claim to the territory, which Argentina calls the Malvinas.
He argued the sanctions were necessary to stop foreign companies from securing rights to oil reserves he considers Argentine.
Milei also signed a decree to expand the defence ministry's budget for a new naval base in Tierra del Fuego.
The UK government has said its position on the islands remains "long-standing and unwavering", pointing to a 2013 referendum in which 99.8% of islanders voted to remain a British overseas territory.
Friday's fall extends a volatile period for Borders & Southern, whose stock has swung sharply in recent months on news tied to farm-out talks over Darwin and renewed activity at the offshore Sea Lion project.
Strategic Distribution Expansion Accelerates Growth for Breckenridge Distillery in Two of the Largest Spirits Markets in the U.S.
Expanded Partnership Also Supports Rapid Growth of Breckenridge Distillery’s Ready-to-Drink Innovation Portfolio Across Grocery, Chain, and Retail Channels
BRECKENRIDGE, Colo., Sept. 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Breckenridge Distillery, an award-winning craft distillery and spirits brand by Tilray Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY and TSX: TLRY), today announced an expanded distribution partnership with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits in New York and California, two of the largest and most strategically important spirits markets in the United States.
The expanded partnership is expected to significantly accelerate Breckenridge Distillery’s growth and market penetration across both states by increasing distribution, retail visibility, and consumer access to the brand’s expanding portfolio. The collaboration includes Breckenridge Distillery’s award-winning bourbon whiskey, whiskey finishes, vodka, rum, and gin, as well as newer innovations including Mountain Shot, Honey Whiskey, and the brand’s first Ready-to-Drink offering, Breckenridge Vodka Seltzers.
Bryan Nolt, Founder of Breckenridge Distillery, stated, “From day one, Breckenridge Distillery has focused on crafting exceptional spirits while continuously evolving our portfolio for today’s consumers. Expanding our partnership with Southern Glazer’s in New York and California represents a major growth milestone for the brand and creates an incredible opportunity to bring our award-winning spirits and newest innovations to more consumers than ever before.”
Mike Horan, Executive Vice President of Sales at Breckenridge Distillery, stated, “Southern Glazer’s has been an outstanding partner for Breckenridge Distillery in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Kansas, and Missouri, and we’re excited to build on that success in New York and California. These are two of the most influential and highest-growth markets in the country, and this expansion significantly strengthens our ability to scale distribution, grow brand awareness, and accelerate our long-term growth trajectory across the U.S.”
Through Southern Glazer’s extensive route-to-market capabilities, strong chain and grocery relationships, and leading sales execution platform, Breckenridge Distillery is positioned to meaningfully scale its presence and capitalize on growing consumer demand in these high-volume markets.
For more information about Breckenridge Distillery, visit breckdisitllery.com. Follow Breckenridge Distillery on Instagram @breckdistillery. Age 21+. Always enjoy responsibly.
About Breckenridge Distillery
Founded in Colorado in 2008, Breckenridge Distillery is the “World’s Highest Distillery,” and is best known for its award-winning blended bourbon whiskey, a high-rye mash American-style whiskey.
One of the most highly awarded distilleries in the U.S., the Breckenridge Distillery is proudly a 3x Icons of Whisky and 10x winner of Best American Blended winner at the World Whiskies Awards by Whisky Magazine and a 4x winner of Colorado Distillery of the Year by the New York International Spirits Competition. Most recently, Breckenridge Port Cask Finish was named World’s Best Finished Bourbon at the 2024 World Whiskies Awards, joining Breckenridge High Proof, named World’s Best Blended Whiskey and Breckenridge Gin, named World’s Best Compound Gin at the World Gin Awards by Gin Magazine. Breckenridge spirits have been awarded 6 Double Golds at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
The Breckenridge Distillery is more than award-winning spirits, offering an immersive guest experience. Named as one of the country’s Top Visitor Attractions by Whisky Magazine, guests can dine at their award-winning restaurant, enjoy show-stopping cocktails, learn about their highly awarded spirits with an in-depth tasting, and get an inside look at their active production facility. New to the distillery, guests have the opportunity to blend their own whiskey as they learn the inner workings of whiskey production.
To learn more about Breckenridge Distillery, visit www.breckenridgedistillery.com. Keep up with Breckenridge Distillery on Instagram by following @breckdistillery and become a fan at facebook.com/BreckDistillery.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this communication that are not historical facts constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (together, “forward-looking statements”) under Canadian and U.S. securities laws and within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are intended to be subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections and other applicable laws. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “forecast,” “future,” “should,” “could,” “enable,” “potential,” “contemplate,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “project,” “will,” “would” and the negative of these terms or similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Certain material factors, estimates, goals, projections, or assumptions were used in drawing the conclusions contained in the forward-looking statements throughout this communication. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses, or current expectations. Many factors could cause actual results, performance, or achievement to be materially different from any forward-looking statements, and other risks and uncertainties not presently known to the Company or that the Company deems immaterial could also cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained herein. For a more detailed discussion of these risks and other factors, see the most recently filed annual information form of Tilray and the Annual Report on Form 10-K (and other periodic reports filed with the SEC) of Tilray made with the SEC and available on EDGAR. The forward-looking statements included in this communication are made as of the date of this communication and the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events, or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.
Most retirees assume hitting a $68,400 annual income floor demands either a massive nest egg or risky high-yield instruments, but five ordinary dividend stocks across five sectors challenge both assumptions in ways the math makes hard to ignore.
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A $5,700 monthly paycheck works out to $68,400 a year, roughly what a comfortable retirement runs for a debt-free 64-year-old in most of the country. The goal here is to hit that number using five individual dividend stocks, one per sector, all paying qualified dividends. No covered call ETFs, no BDCs, no monthly-pay closed-end funds.
The five-stock blueprint is straightforward: Verizon (NYSE:VZ | VZ Price Prediction) for telecom, Chevron (NYSE:CVX) for energy, AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) for pharma, Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) for tobacco and smoke-free, and Southern Company (NYSE:SO) for regulated utilities. Equal 20% weights across the five.
Where the Yields Actually Sit Today At current prices, the forward yields shake out like this. The telecom name pays about 5.6% on a $2.83 annualized payout. The energy major yields roughly 3.4% on $7.12. The pharmaceutical company sits near 2.7% of $6.92. The tobacco giant comes in around 3.1% on $5.88. And the utility pays about 3.5% on $3.04. If you weight them equally, the basket lands at a blended yield near 3.7%. To generate $68,400 of income at that average, you need roughly $1.87 million in capital, split $374,000 across each of the five positions.
That is a meaningful sum, no question. But it is still less than what a Treasury-only strategy would require at the current 4.75% yield on the 10-year, once you factor in what these companies do that Treasuries do not. They raise the payout over time.
Three Ways to Size the Portfolio The core math is $68,400 divided by yield. Three tiers illustrate the tradeoff:
Conservative tier (3% to 4%): Run the math at 3.5%, and $68,400 a year requires $1,954,000 in capital. That is where the five-stock basket lands if you lean heavier into the energy major, the pharmaceutical company, and the utility. You are putting up the most money upfront, but the principal keeps compounding over time. The drug company’s quarterly payout has climbed from $1.07 in 2019 to $1.73 in 2026, and the oil giant has gone from $1.29 in 2020 to $1.78 in 2026. That is sleep-at-night income that actually grows. Moderate tier (5% to 7%): At a 5.5% yield, that same $68,400 annual target calls for $1,244,000. You get there by overweighting the telecom name and mixing in preferred shares, REITs, or high-dividend equity funds. The telecom company just marked its 20th consecutive year of dividend increases, though the latest raise was only 2.5%. Payout growth has flattened, and total return leans more on the coupon than on price appreciation. Aggressive tier (8% to 14%): $68,400 divided by 0.10 equals $684,000. Leveraged covered call funds, mortgage REITs, and high-yield bond funds live here. Distributions frequently get cut, and the principal often erodes. You are spending the asset, not living off its growth. Why the Lower Yield Often Wins A 3.7% yield that grows 6% to 8% annually doubles your income in roughly nine to twelve years. A 10% yield with a flat or shrinking payout stays put or slides. In this basket, Chevron has raised its dividend for more than two decades, Southern’s quarterly payout has ticked up from $0.56 in 2017 to $0.76 today, and Philip Morris has moved from $1.00 per quarter in 2015 to $1.47 in 2026.
That growth is why AbbVie is up 512% over 10 years, and Chevron is up 219%, with the yield reinvested along the way. The whole point of a ladder like this is never having to sell a share to pay a bill, and we walked through how to build one in a free guide here.
The catch: concentration. Five stocks in five sectors are diversified relative to owning one, but a Humira-style patent cliff, an oil-price collapse, or an FDA action on nicotine pouches can each hit 20% of the income stream at once. AbbVie’s $10.9 billion Apogee acquisition and 14-cent EPS dilution illustrate the reinvestment risk baked into the pharma slot.
Three Steps to Take This Week Price out your real number. Pull last year’s actual spending, not your pre-retirement salary. If you can live on $54,000, your capital target drops by roughly $400,000 at a 3.7% blended yield. Stress-test the growth assumption. Model each holding at half its recent five-year dividend growth rate. If the math still works, the plan is durable. If it does not, add a sixth or seventh position rather than reach for yield. Run the tax layer. All five names pay qualified dividends, taxed at 0%, 15%, or 20% federally depending on the bracket. In a state like California or New York, layer state tax on top before deciding how much of the portfolio belongs in a taxable account versus an IRA. Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
PORTER RANCH, Calif., Sept. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation's leading builder of luxury homes, today announced the final opportunity to own a new Toll Brothers home in the Porter Ranch master plan located in the hills of Los Angeles, California. Bella Vista at Porter Ranch - Ridge Collection, an exclusive Toll Brothers community in Porter Ranch with estate-sized homes with breathtaking canyon views, has just two homes remaining for sale. Home shoppers are encouraged to act quickly to secure one of the last new construction homes available in this highly sought-after community, located at 11910 Redhawk Lane in Porter Ranch.
Bella Vista at Porter Ranch - Ridge Collection is the final new home collection within the prestigious Porter Ranch master plan. This intimate enclave of only 65 home sites offers estate-sized one- and two-story single-family homes ranging from 3,900 to over 5,000 square feet. The homes feature 4 to 5 bedrooms, 4.5 to 5.5 bathrooms, 3-car garages, and thoughtfully designed spaces such as multigenerational suites, prep kitchens, primary bedroom suite decks, primary suite retreats, bonus rooms, and more. Set behind a staff-gated entry, the community offers private cul-de-sac streets and stunning canyon views, creating a serene and luxurious living environment. The final two homes are priced from $2,849,000 and are available for move-in in fall 2026.
"Bella Vista at Porter Ranch - Ridge Collection offers an unparalleled combination of luxury, convenience, and breathtaking views," said Nick Norvilas, Group President of Toll Brothers in Los Angeles. "This is the last chance to own a new Toll Brothers home in Porter Ranch, and with only two homes remaining, we encourage home shoppers to act quickly before these exceptional opportunities are gone."
Porter Ranch is conveniently located near major freeways, making travel to downtown Los Angeles or the beach easily accessible. Residents will enjoy proximity to the 50-acre Porter Ranch community park and the Vineyards at Porter Ranch shopping center, which features boutique retailers, dining, and various entertainment options.
For more information, contact Toll Brothers at 844-700-8655 or visit TollBrothers.com/CA.
About Toll Brothers
Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation's leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded in 1967 and became a public company in 1986 with common stock listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TOL." Toll Brothers builds new homes and communities in over 60 markets across the United States, serving first-time, move-up, active-adult, and second-home buyers. The Company also operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, landscape, and building components manufacturing businesses.
Toll Brothers was named the #1 Most Admired Home Builder in Fortune magazine's 2026 list of the World's Most Admired Companies®, the ninth year the Company has achieved this honor. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com.
Contact: Andrea Meck | Toll Brothers, Senior Director, Public Relations & Social Media | 215-938-8169 | [email protected]
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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Vancouver, British Columbia and Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 2, 2026) - Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3) ("SXGC", "SX2" or the "Company") announces results from five drill holes at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Victoria, showing the increase in grade at depth in Apollo and extended Sunday Creek to its furthest eastern point to date with high grades in up-dip areas of Apollo East (Figures 2 to 6).
SDDSC222W1 returned the headline result, 0.6 m @ 993.2 g/t AuEq (972.0 g/t Au, 8.9% Sb) from 808.5 m, the 9th best composite intersection drilled at Sunday Creek, 620 m below surface. SDDSC227 returned the shallowest high-grade intersection drilled in Apollo East, 5.1 m @ 27.2 g/t AuEq including 2.6 m @ 51.1 g/t AuEq from 260.9 m and only 144 m below surface, and the most easterly and shallowest drill intersection on the project, along with an antimony assay of 32.5% Sb. Five individual assays in this release exceed 50 g/t Au, ranging from 97.6 g/t to 972.0 g/t.
Four High Level Takeaways:
Grades continue to strengthen at depth in Apollo. SDDSC222W1 returned 0.6 m @ 993.2 g/t AuEq (972.0 g/t Au, 8.9% Sb) from 808.5 m, extending the A130 vein set 40 m below its known vertical depth extent. The intersection ranks as the 9th best intersection drilled at Sunday Creek to date, returned approximately 620 m below surface.
High-grade mineralization now extends much closer to surface in Apollo East. SDDSC223 and SDDSC227 both extended the Apollo East vein sets up-dip, with SDDSC223 returning 97.6 g/t Au, 144 m below surface, and SDDSC227 delivering 5.1 m @ 27.2 g/t AuEq (18.4 g/t Au, 3.7% Sb) from 260.9 m, including individual assays of 186.0 g/t Au and 116.0 g/t Au. Both high-grade assays sit inside a 2.6 m @ 51.1 g/t AuEq interval.
The Apollo East corridor keeps expanding along strike to the east. SDDSC222 alone intersected seven separate Apollo East vein sets across prospective terrain and combined with the up-dip results from SDDSC223 and SDDSC227, Apollo East is now defined across 140 m of horizontal strike, reinforcing that this is a broad, multi-vein system. Apollo East is one of five mineralized areas along 1,550 m of drill-defined host strike, of which approximately 650 m has been intensively drill tested. SDDSC227 also returned the easternmost significant intersection drilled at the main Sunday Creek Project to date, approximately 110 m below surface and directly beneath mineralization identified in the MTSC001 trench completed in 2021, which it likely extends down-dip.
Antimony grades strengthen alongside the gold in shallow Apollo East. SDDSC227 returned 32.5% Sb, one of five individual assays above 15% Sb reported for Apollo East. Together, they show Apollo East carries high-grade gold and meaningful antimony grades into shallow areas. The 186.0 g/t Au assay carried 5.2% Sb, and SDDSC222 returned three individual assays above 15% Sb at depth, showing antimony tenor is carried through the full vertical extent of the system.
Michael Hudson, President & CEO, states: "This release does two things at once. SDDSC222 and its wedge SDDSC222W1 pushed Apollo down-dip, returning 972 g/t gold over 0.6 m at 620 metres vertical depth, our 9th best intersection at Sunday Creek. SDDSC223 and SDDSC227 extended Apollo East to its shallowest and easternmost extensions. Grades keep improving with depth at Sunday Creek rather than tailing off, but they are not absent at surface either.
"SDDSC227 makes the point better than any hole here: 32.5% antimony, alongside individual gold assays of 186.0 g/t and 116.0 g/t, all within 144 m of surface. SDDSC227 returned 5.1 m @ 27.2 g/t gold equivalent including 2.6 m @ 51.1 g/t and also delivered the easternmost significant intersection drilled at Sunday Creek to date, 110 m below mineralization we trenched at MTSC001 back in 2021. Apollo East is open to the east and we intend to keep pushing it in that direction.
"We are growing Apollo and Apollo East in both directions at once, and with eleven rigs turning, results pending from 72 holes and our 200,000 m program running through to Q1 2027, we expect to keep delivering."
For Those Who Like the Details - Highlights:
SDDSC222 intersected a 118 m stacked mineralized zone between 533.4 m and 651.4 m containing both gold and antimony-dominant veins: The full 118 m zone averages 1.6 g/t AuEq (1.0 g/t Au, 0.26% Sb), with a higher-grade core of 39.3 m @ 3.3 g/t AuEq (2.3 g/t Au, 0.41% Sb) from 597.3 m. The hole intersected seven Apollo East vein sets and extended several of them 40 m to 70 m up-dip, and returned three individual assays above 15% Sb, peaking at 26.2% Sb with 5.2 g/t Au over 0.1 m from 619.9 m. Highlights include:
1.0 m @ 17.7 g/t AuEq (0.4 g/t Au, 7.2% Sb) from 575.4 m, including:
0.4 m @ 43.1 g/t AuEq (0.8 g/t Au, 17.7% Sb) from 575.4 m
5.7 m @ 7.5 g/t AuEq (4.3 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 597.3 m, including:
3.4 m @ 10.8 g/t AuEq (6.1 g/t Au, 1.9% Sb) from 598.4 m
1.0 m @ 7.8 g/t AuEq (5.6 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 605.2 m
0.9 m @ 17.5 g/t AuEq (3.8 g/t Au, 5.7% Sb) from 619.1 m
2.1 m @ 20.0 g/t AuEq (20.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 635.8 m, Including
0.4 m @ 108.0 g/t AuEq (108.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 635.8 m
2.1 m @ 6.8 g/t AuEq (4.4 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 640.8 m, including:
1.6 m @ 8.2 g/t AuEq (5.6 g/t Au, 1.1% Sb) from 640.8 m
SDDSC222W1 returned the 9th best composite result on the project to date which is located approximately 620 m below surface, extending the A130 vein set 40 m deeper. SDDSC222W1 intersected a further 125 m of down-hole prospective terrain, including a broad 20 m zone of lower-grade mineralization from 873.2 m confirming down-dip structural continuation of multiple Apollo vein sets. Highlights included:
0.6 m @ 993.2 g/t AuEq (972.0 g/t Au, 8.9% Sb) from 808.5 mFor Those Who Like the Details - Highlights:
SDDSC223 returned 97.6 g/t Au with 1.7% Sb over 0.10 m from 280.5 m, about 144 m below surface, in a narrow, previously undefined gold-rich vein set hosted in altered sediments. SDDSC223 remained within prospective terrain for 163 m down-hole and tested the southern-most strike continuation of multiple Apollo East vein sets. Highlights include:
1.0 m @ 7.0 g/t AuEq (3.2 g/t Au, 1.6% Sb) from 236.7 m, including:
0.8 m @ 8.9 g/t AuEq (3.8 g/t Au, 2.1% Sb) from 236.7 m
2.3 m @ 13.9 g/t AuEq (11.2 g/t Au, 1.1% Sb) from 245.3 m
0.1 m @ 48.6 g/t AuEq (41.0 g/t Au, 3.2% Sb) from 266.1 m
1.4 m @ 11.4 g/t AuEq (10.9 g/t Au, 0.2% Sb) from 280.1 m
SDDSC227 intersected seven vein sets in the upper Apollo East, with the best results from two narrow, closely spaced high-grade zones: 116.0 g/t Au with 32.5% Sb over 0.5 m from 260.9 m and 186.0 g/t Au and 5.2% Sb over 0.2 m from 263.4 m. Both sit within a broader mineralized zone and are among the shallowest high-grade intersections drilled within Apollo East to date: The upper zone sits 144 m below surface and is the shallowest high-grade intersection drilled in Apollo East to date, while a further intersection in the hole is the easternmost significant intersection drilled at the main Sunday Creek Project, approximately 110 m below surface mineralization identified in the MTSC001 trench. Highlights include:
0.8 m @ 10.8 g/t AuEq (7.8 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 209.0 m
5.1 m @ 27.2 g/t AuEq (18.4 g/t Au, 3.7% Sb) from 260.9 m, Including
2.6 m @ 51.1 g/t AuEq (34.2 g/t Au, 7.1% Sb) from 260.9 m
7.8 m @ 5.8 g/t AuEq (3.7 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 323.8 m, including:
1.3 m @ 10.2 g/t AuEq (8.7 g/t Au, 0.6% Sb) from 325.9 m
0.4 m @ 47.6 g/t AuEq (25.1 g/t Au, 9.4% Sb) from 328.6 m
0.3 m @ 44.0 g/t AuEq (44.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 334.9 m
SDDSC234 tested the down-dip continuation of the Apollo East vein sets and provided a 70 m up-dip extension from previously released SDDSC124 on the A179 vein set. The hole intersected close to 150 m of prospective terrain and bounds the southern strike extent of multiple Apollo East vein sets:
0.3 m @ 7.7 g/t AuEq (7.2 g/t Au, 0.2% Sb) from 268.8 m
1.1 m @ 7.0 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 0.7% Sb) from 323.4 m, including:
0.6 m @ 11.6 g/t AuEq (9.0 g/t Au, 1.1% Sb) from 323.9 m
Project Totals to Date
283 drill holes for 136.9 km reported from Sunday Creek since late 2020
98 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t Au by applying a 1 m (down hole length) @ 5 g/t AuEq lower cut
111 composite intersections exceeding 10% Sb by applying a 1 m (down hole length) @ 5 g/t AuEq lower cut
Results pending from 72 holes, including eleven holes actively being drilled and three abandoned holes, with eleven drill rigs currently operational
200,000 m drill program continuing through to Q1 2027
Drill Hole Discussion
This release reports results from five drill holes at the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project, extending both the Apollo and Apollo East areas of the project. All holes were drilled in an east to west orientation.
Holes reported show the increase in grade at depth in Apollo and extend Sunday Creek to its furthest eastern point to date with high grades in up-dip areas of Apollo East (Figures 2 to 6).
SDDSC222
SDDSC222 was drilled to test the up-dip extension of previously unrecognised Apollo East vein sets and to provide south-bounding information for Apollo vein sets at depth.
The hole intersected a broad zone of stacked subvertical mineralization between 533.4 m and 651.4 m, with higher-grade zones towards the base of the interval. Cumulatively SDDSC222 tested 135 m of down-hole prospective terrain within Apollo East, intersecting seven Apollo East vein sets. SDDSC222 provided 40 m to 70 m up-dip extensions of several Apollo East vein sets from previously defined drilling including SDDSC170A (refer to ASX announcement dated 8 September 2025) and SDDSC181 (refer to ASX announcement dated 17 December 2025).
Drilling intersected the Admiral Fault from approximately 732 m. Rather than close the hole out at its originally planned 770 m depth, the strength of results above the fault supported extending and wedging SDDSC222 at 747.7 m to continue as SDDSC222W1, allowing a single hole to also capture targets originally planned for a separate future drill hole, an estimated saving of around 750 m of future drilling.
Selected composite highlights from SDDSC222 included:
1.0 m @ 17.7 g/t AuEq (0.4 g/t Au, 7.2% Sb) from 575.4 m, including:
0.4 m @ 43.1 g/t AuEq (0.8 g/t Au, 17.7% Sb) from 575.4 m
5.7 m @ 7.5 g/t AuEq (4.3 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 597.3 m, including:
3.4 m @ 10.8 g/t AuEq (6.1 g/t Au, 1.9% Sb) from 598.4 m
1.0 m @ 7.8 g/t AuEq (5.6 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 605.2 m
0.9 m @ 17.5 g/t AuEq (3.8 g/t Au, 5.7% Sb) from 619.1 m
2.1 m @ 20.0 g/t AuEq (20.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 635.8 m, including
0.4 m @ 108.0 g/t AuEq (108.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 635.8 m
2.1 m @ 6.8 g/t AuEq (4.4 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 640.8 m, including:
1.6 m @ 8.2 g/t AuEq (5.6 g/t Au, 1.1% Sb) from 640.8 m
SDDSC222 intersected one individual assay exceeding 50 g/t Au:
108.0 g/t Au & 0.02% Sb over 0.38 m from 635.78 mAdditionally, SDDSC222 returned three (3) individual assays exceeding 15% antimony
17.70% Sb & 0.8 g/t Au over 0.40 m from 575.43 m
18.30% Sb & 20.7 g/t Au over 0.10 m from 619.79 m
26.20% Sb & 5.2 g/t Au over 0.11 m from 619.89 m
SDDSC222W1
SDDSC222W1 continued from the SDDSC222 wedge point before intersecting a 0.6 m mineralized quartz-stibnite shear vein (high grade core) from 808.5 m as the standout result of this hole, returning 0.6 m @ 993.2 g/t AuEq (972.0 g/t Au, 8.9% Sb) and represents the 9th best composite intersection returned at Sunday Creek to date (see Figure 1). This intersection also increases the known vertical depth extent of the Apollo A130 vein set by approximately 40 m. This intercept sits approximately 620 m below surface, consistent with the pattern observed elsewhere at Sunday Creek of grades improving with depth.
In total SDDSC222W1 broadly intersected 125 m of down-hole prospective terrain, including a broad 20 m zone of lower-grade mineralization from 873.2 m to 893.2 m confirming down-dip structural continuation of the multiple vein sets.
Beyond 900 m drilling added useful strike-extent information on multiple Apollo vein sets at depth and will aid in future targeting.
Selected composite highlights include:
SDDSC222W1:
0.6 m @ 993.2 g/t AuEq (972.0 g/t Au, 8.9% Sb) from 808.5 m SDDSC222W1 intersected one individual assay exceeding 50 g/t Au:
972.0 g/t Au & 8.85% Sb over 0.60 m from 808.52 m
Figure 1: Close-up photo of the quartz-stibnite vein in SDDSC222W1 that returned 0.6 m @ 993.2 g/t AuEq (972.0 g/t Au, 8.9% Sb) from 808.5 m, showing well distributed visible gold throughout the vein. Millimeter ruler for scale.
To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11541/312497_59e0f1343407fa8f_004full.jpg
SDDSC223
SDDSC223 tested the up-dip continuation of Apollo East vein sets and the southern-most strike continuation of multiple Apollo East vein-sets. SDDSC223 intersected several mineralized zones of antimony and gold, with the best results within the upper part of the hole, associated with a high-grade (97.6 g/t Au & 1.7% Sb over 0.10 m) sample within a previously undefined gold-rich vein set hosted within altered sediments, approximately 144 m below surface. In total SDDSC223 stayed within prospective terrain for 163 m downhole.
Selected composite highlights include:
1.0 m @ 7.0 g/t AuEq (3.2 g/t Au, 1.6% Sb) from 236.7 m, including:
0.8 m @ 8.9 g/t AuEq (3.8 g/t Au, 2.1% Sb) from 236.7 m
2.3 m @ 13.9 g/t AuEq (11.2 g/t Au, 1.1% Sb) from 245.3 m
0.1 m @ 48.6 g/t AuEq (41.0 g/t Au, 3.2% Sb) from 266.1 m
1.4 m @ 11.4 g/t AuEq (10.9 g/t Au, 0.2% Sb) from 280.1 m, including:
0.1 m @ 101.6 g/t AuEq (97.6 g/t Au, 1.66% Sb) from 280.45 m
SDDSC227
SDDSC227 tested the upper Apollo East vein sets and returned 32.5% Sb, along with individual gold assays of 186.0 g/t Au and 116.0 g/t Au, both tied to a mineralized stibnite vein. Those two closely spaced high-grade zones sit within a broader 5.1 m at 27.2 g/t AuEq. This is the shallowest high-grade intersection drilled within Apollo East to date, 144 m below surface.
Higher in the same hole, SDDSC227 returned the easternmost significant intersection drilled at the main Sunday Creek Project to date, returning 0.8 m @ 10.8 g/t AuEq (7.8 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 209.0 m, approximately 110 m below surface. It sits directly down-dip of gold-antimony mineralization exposed at surface in exploration trenches, 110 m above, and is interpreted as its down-dip extension. These trenches returned (TSX Mawson Gold news release dated 6 October 2021):
0.8 m @ 10.8 g/t AuEq (7.8 g/t Au, 1.3% Sb) from 209.0 m
5.1 m @ 27.2 g/t AuEq (18.4 g/t Au, 3.7% Sb) from 260.9 m, including
2.6 m @ 51.1 g/t AuEq (34.2 g/t Au, 7.1% Sb) from 260.9 m
7.8 m @ 5.8 g/t AuEq (3.7 g/t Au, 0.9% Sb) from 323.8 m, including
1.3 m @ 10.2 g/t AuEq (8.7 g/t Au, 0.6% Sb) from 325.9 m
0.4 m @ 47.6 g/t AuEq (25.1 g/t Au, 9.4% Sb) from 328.6 m
0.3 m @ 44.0 g/t AuEq (44.0 g/t Au, 0.0% Sb) from 334.9 m
SDDSC227 intersected two individual assays exceeding 50 g/t Au:
116.0 g/t Au & 32.50% Sb over 0.48 m from 260.88 m
186.0 g/t Au & 5.19% Sb over 0.16 m from 263.37 m
In addition to the plus 50 g/t Au grades listed above, SDDSC227 returned one (1) additional individual assay exceeding 15% antimony:
18.00% Sb & 37.4 g/t Au over 0.20 m from 328.82 mSDDSC234
SDDSC234 tested the down-dip continuation of Apollo East vein sets confirmed in the preceding holes. Although SDDSC234 intersected close to 150 m of prospective terrain including dyke and altered sediments, it returned more modest results than the other Apollo East holes in this release, as it skimmed the southern strike extension of multiple Apollo East vein sets. SDDSC234 also provided a 70 m up-dip extension from previously released hole SDDSC124 on the A179 vein set (ASX announcement dated 26 September 2024).
Selected composite highlights include:
0.3 m @ 7.7 g/t AuEq (7.2 g/t Au, 0.2% Sb) from 268.8 m
1.1 m @ 7.0 g/t AuEq (5.4 g/t Au, 0.7% Sb) from 323.4 m, including:
0.6 m @ 11.6 g/t AuEq (9.0 g/t Au, 1.1% Sb) from 323.9 m
Pending Results and Update
Eleven drill rigs are currently operational at Sunday Creek. Results are pending from 72 holes, comprising 50 holes at Sunday Creek and 22 regional holes, all currently being processed and analyzed. These include eleven holes actively being drilled and three abandoned holes (Figure 3). The Company's 200,000 m drill program continues through to Q1 2027.
About Sunday Creek
The Sunday Creek epizonal-style gold project is located 60 km north of Melbourne within 16,900 hectares ("Ha") of granted exploration tenements. SXGC is also the freehold landholder of 2,296 Ha that forms the key portion in and around the main drilled area at the Sunday Creek Project.
Gold and antimony form in a relay of vein sets that cut across a steeply dipping zone of intensely altered rocks (the "host"). These vein sets are like a "Golden Ladder" structure where the main host extends between the side rails deep into the earth, with multiple cross-cutting vein sets that host the gold forming the rungs. At Apollo, Golden Dyke and Rising Sun these individual 'rungs' have been defined over a 600 m depth extent from surface to over 1,200 m below surface, are 2.5 m to 3.5 m wide (median widths), locally up to 10 m, and 20 m to 100 m in strike.
Cumulatively, 283 drill holes for 136,940.59 m have been reported from Sunday Creek since late 2020. This amount includes five holes for 929 m that have been drilled for geotechnical purposes and 23 holes for 3,104.12 m that were abandoned due to deviation or hole conditions. Fourteen drill holes for 2,382.74 m have been reported regionally outside of the main Sunday Creek drill area. A total of 64 historic drill holes for 5,599 m were completed from the late 1960s to 2008. The project now contains a total of ninety-eight (98) composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t Au and eighty-three (83) composite intersections between 50 g/t and 100 g/t Au, and one-hundred and eleven (111) composite intersections exceeding 10% Sb by applying a 1 m (down hole length) @ 5 g/t AuEq lower cut.
Southern Cross Gold's systematic drill program is strategically targeting these significant vein formations, which are currently drill defined over 1,550 m strike of the host dyke/sediment ("rails of the ladder") from Christina to Apollo prospects, of which approximately 650 m has been more intensively drill tested (Golden Dyke to Apollo). At least 125 'rungs' have been defined to date, defined by high-grade intercepts (20 g/t Au to >7,330 g/t Au) along with lower grade edges. Ongoing step-out drilling is aiming to uncover the potential extent of this mineralized system (Figure 4).
Geologically, the project is located within the Melbourne Structural Zone in the Lachlan Fold Belt. The regional host to the Sunday Creek mineralization is an interbedded turbidite sequence of siltstones and minor sandstones metamorphosed to sub-greenschist facies and folded into a set of open north-west trending folds.
Further Information
Further discussion and analysis of the Sunday Creek project is available through the interactive Vrify 3D animations, presentations and videos all available on the SXGC website. These data, along with an interview on these results with President & CEO/Managing Director Michael Hudson can be viewed at www.southerncrossgold.com.
No upper gold grade cut is applied in the averaging and intervals are reported as drill thickness. However, during future Mineral Resource studies, the requirement for assay top cutting will be assessed. The Company notes that due to rounding of assay results to one significant figure, minor variations in calculated composite grades may occur.
Figures 2 to 6 show project location, plan and longitudinal views of drill results reported here and Tables 1 to 3 provide collar and assay data. The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported individually as estimated true widths ("ETW"), otherwise they are interpreted to be approximately 55% to 80% of the sampled thickness for other reported holes. Lower grades were cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum width of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 1 m width.
Critical Metal Epizonal Gold-Antimony Deposits
Sunday Creek (Figure 5) is an epizonal gold-antimony deposit formed in the late Devonian (like Fosterville, Costerfield and Redcastle), 60 million years later than mesozonal gold systems formed in Victoria (for example Ballarat and Bendigo). Epizonal deposits are a form of orogenic gold deposit classified according to their depth of formation: epizonal (<6 km), mesozonal (6 km to 12 km) and hypozonal (>12 km).
Epizonal deposits in Victoria often have associated high levels of the critical metal, antimony, and Sunday Creek is no exception. China claims a 56 per cent share of global mined supplies of antimony, according to a 2023 European Union study. Antimony features highly on the critical minerals lists of many countries including Australia, the United States of America, Canada, Japan and the European Union. Australia ranks seventh for antimony production despite all production coming from a single mine at Costerfield in Victoria, located nearby to all SXGC projects. Antimony alloys with lead and tin which results in improved properties for solders, munitions, bearings and batteries. Antimony is a prominent additive for halogen-containing flame retardants. Adequate supplies of antimony are critical to the world's energy transition, and to the high-tech industry, especially the semiconductor and defence sectors where it is a critical additive to primers in munitions.
Antimony represents approximately 15% to 17% in situ recoverable value of Sunday Creek at an AuEq of 2.39 ratio.
Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF), is defining a leading gold-antimony project at the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project, located 60 km north of Melbourne. Sunday Creek is a significant gold and antimony drill discovery in a Tier 1 location, with high-grade drill results including 98 composite intersections exceeding 100 g/t Au from 142.5 km of drilling (including historic drilling). The mineralization follows a "Golden Ladder" structure over 12 km of interpreted strike length, with structures drill tested from surface to 1,200 m depth.
Sunday Creek's strategic value is enhanced by its dual-metal profile. The Company has a critical mineral that the Western world needs. This has gained increased significance following China's export restrictions on antimony, a critical metal for defence and semiconductor applications. Southern Cross' inclusion in the US Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) and Australia's AUKUS-related legislative changes position it as a potential key Western antimony supplier.
Technical fundamentals further strengthen the investment case, with preliminary metallurgical work showing non-refractory mineralization suitable for conventional processing and gold recoveries of 93% to 98% through gravity and flotation.
With a strong cash position, 2,296 Ha of strategic freehold land ownership, and a large 200 km drill program planned through Q1 2027, SXGC is well-positioned to advance this globally significant gold-antimony discovery in a tier-one jurisdiction, delivering milestone by milestone.
- Ends -
For ASX Compliance: This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.
NI 43-101 Technical Background and Qualified Person
Kenneth Bush, Head of Exploration for SXGC, a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a Registered Professional Geologist in the fields of Mining and Exploration (#10315), is the Qualified Person as defined by the NI 43-101. They have prepared, reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release.
Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-OES analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process.
SXGC considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered and sold at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Alkane Resources (previously Mandalay Resources) contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Resources Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony.
SXGC considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its 2024 End of Year Mineral Reserves and Resources Press Release, dated February 20, 2025. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using Costerfield's 2024 production costs, using a gold price of US$2,500 per ounce, an antimony price of US$19,000 per tonne and 2024 total year metal recoveries of 91% for gold and 92% for antimony, and is as follows:
AuEq = Au (g/t) + 2.39 × Sb (%)
Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXGC considers that a AuEq = Au (g/t) + 2.39 × Sb (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek.
JORC Competent Person Statement
Information in this announcement that relates to new exploration results contained in this report is based on information compiled by Mr Kenneth Bush a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a Registered Professional Geologist in the fields of Mining and Exploration (#10315). Mr Bush has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralization and type of deposit under consideration, and to the activities undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr Bush is Head of Exploration of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Limited and consents to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.
Certain information in this announcement that relates to prior exploration results is extracted from the Independent Geologist's Report dated 11 December 2024 which was issued with the consent of the Competent Person, Mr Steven Tambanis. The report is included in the Company's prospectus dated 11 December 2024 and is available at www.asx.com.au under code "SX2". The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information related to exploration results included in the original market announcement. The Company confirms that the form and context of the Competent Persons' findings in relation to the report have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.
Certain information in this announcement also relates to prior drill hole exploration results, extracted from the following announcements, which are available to view on www.southerncrossgold.com:
6 October 2021 MTSC001/2, 4 October, 2022 SDDSC046, 20 October, 2022 SDDSC049, 5 September, 2023 SDDSC077B, 12 October, 2023 SDDLV003 & 4, 23 October, 2023 SDDSC082, 9 November, 2023 SDDSC091, 14 December, 2023 SDDSC092, 5 March, 2024 SDDSC107, 30 May, 2024 SDDSC117, 13 June, 2024 SDDSC118, 5 September, 2024 SDDSC130, 26 September 2024 SDDSC124, 28 October, 2024 SDDSC137W2, 28 November, 2024 SDDSC141, 9 December, 2024 SDDSC145, 18 December, 2024 SDDSC129 & 144, 28 May, 2025 SDDSC161, 16 June, 2025 SDDSC162, 26 August, 2025 SDDSC171, 8 September, 2025 SDDSC170A, 17 December 2025 SDDSC181, 9 April, 2026 SDDSC194W1The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original document/announcement and the Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person's findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcement.
Forward-Looking Statement
This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political, social uncertainties; the state of capital markets, unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in the Company's documents filed with Canadian or Australian (under code SX2) securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made by the Company with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada or Australia (under code SX2), as applicable, and available for the Company in Canada at www.sedarplus.ca or in Australia at www.asx.com.au (under code SX2). Documents are also available at www.southerncrossgold.com The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.
Figure 2: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected results from holes SDDSC222, SDDSC222W1, SDDSC223, SDDSC227 and SDDSC234 reported here (dark blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected prior reported drill holes.
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Figure 3: Sunday Creek plan view showing selected drill hole traces from holes SDDSC222, SDDSC222W1, SDDSC223, SDDSC227 and SDDSC234 reported here (black trace), with prior reported drill holes (grey trace) and currently drilling and assays pending hole traces (dark blue).
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Figure 4: Sunday Creek longitudinal section across A-B in the plane of the dyke breccia/altered sediment host looking towards the NW (striking 56 degrees) indicating mineralized vein sets. Showing holes SDDSC222, SDDSC222W1, SDDSC223, SDDSC227 and SDDSC234 reported here (dark blue highlighted box, black trace), with selected intersections and prior reported drill holes. The vertical extents of the vein sets are limited by proximity to drill hole pierce points.
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Figure 5: Sunday Creek regional plan view showing soil sampling, structural framework, regional historic epizonal gold mining areas and broad regional areas. The main regional drill areas are at Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan located 4,000 m to 7,500 m along strike from the main drill area at Golden Dyke- Apollo. Map in GDA94/ MGA Zone 55.
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Figure 6: Location of the Sunday Creek project, along with the 100% owned Redcastle Gold-Antimony Project
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Table 1: Drill collar summary table for recent drill holes in progress.
This ReleaseHole IDDepth (m)ProspectEast
GDA94 Z55North
GDA94 Z55Elevation
(m)DipAzimuth
GDA94 Z55SDDSC222792.29Apollo331596.15867936.9345.4-51.5267.7SDDSC222W11065.50Apollo331596.15867936.9345.4-51.5267.7SDDSC223435.25Apollo East331483.05867839.8335.7-33.9262.2SDDSC227412.00Apollo East331483.85867840.3335.8-36.6266.5SDDSC234449.00Apollo East331484.55867840.3335.8-46.1266.1 Currently being processed and analyzed Hole IDDepth (m)ProspectEast
GDA94 Z55North
GDA94 Z55Elevation
(m)DipAzimuth
GDA94 Z55SDDGT006100.00Geotech330652.85867746.1301.8-67.9306.7SDDSC215476.39Regional331603.65867183.7304.9-38.215.4SDDSC218796.99Golden Dyke330813.45867847.6301.1-47.9265.0SDDSC221926.54Golden Dyke330754.15867733.0307.0-50.6285.3SDDSC225992.82Christina330754.55867733.0306.9-52.9284.8SDDSC226826.10Rising Sun331276.95867121.1289.1-56.4336.5SDDSC226AIn Progress plan 1900 mRising Sun331278.15867112.6289.2-56.8330.4SDDSC226W1603.90Rising Sun331276.95867121.1289.1-56.4336.5SDDSC229541.80Golden Dyke330813.95867847.7301.2-48.4267.2SDDSC236650.10Golden Dyke330813.75867847.3301.1-49.5263.8SDDSC237359.00Golden Dyke330700.45867880.1299.7-43.2245.7SDDSC237W1510.47Golden Dyke330700.45867880.1299.7-43.2299.7SDDSC238810.80Christina329778.65867552.7286.5-32.069.2SDDSC239915.63Golden Dyke330753.15867731.5306.9-31.0270.2SDDSC2401171.50Rising Sun330354.15867861.2277.2-58.773.9SDDSC240W1In Progress plan 587 mRising Sun330354.15867861.2277.2-58.773.9SDDSC241418.60Golden Dyke330700.95867879.7299.8-39.1243.5SDDSC242A370.67Golden Dyke330813.45867846.9301.1-45.8267.4SDDSC242AW1601.73Golden Dyke330813.45867846.9301.1-45.8267.4SDDSC2431038.00Apollo331615.85867951.1347.0-59.5269.0SDDSC244In Progress plan 1200 mGolden Dyke330973.35867847.7296.7-49.5275.8SDDSC245548.80Regional331533.75867845.3341.2-40.7156.1SDDSC246760.20Golden Dyke330753.75867731.8306.7-39.5274.6SDDSC247193.60Golden Dyke330772.25867889.6295.7-32.3248.5SDDSC248572.50Apollo331291.35867825.7316.4-40.9269.8SDDSC249191.09Golden Dyke330772.75867889.6295.7-36.7245.9SDDSC250199.81Rising Sun330772.45867889.9295.7-36.9252.3SDDSC251120.40Apollo331532.65867847.5340.9-31.9270.4SDDSC251A306.70Apollo331532.85867847.9340.9-31.7273.7SDDSC252200.00Golden Dyke330772.75867889.9295.7-40.0249.9SDDSC253349.40Apollo331595.85867936.9345.6-53.8267.8SDDSC253W11042.70Apollo331595.85867936.9345.6-53.8267.8SDDSC254In Progress plan 890 mChristina329776.65867552.0286.8-51.861.8SDDSC255551.00Golden Dyke330773.05867890.0295.6-41.4251.2SDDSC256445.37Golden Dyke330772.25867889.4295.7-31.0245.3SDDSC257304.74Golden Dyke330813.15867847.3301.1-43.1263.8SDDSC257W1634.50Golden Dyke330813.15867847.3301.1-43.1263.8SDDSC2581036.67Golden Dyke330973.35867847.7296.7-32.5265.0SDDSC259781.66Golden Dyke330754.05867731.7306.7-43.6274.0SDDSC259W11201.20Golden Dyke330754.05867731.7306.7-43.6274.0SDDSC260In Progress plan 1400 mRising Sun330339.65867859.2276.9-69.664.3SDDSC2611021.30Apollo331615.05867950.8346.9-45.5266.3SDDSC262924.20Apollo331596.45867937.0345.4-55.5266.5SDDSC263In Progress plan 1230 mApollo330754.15867733.3306.9-53.066.6SDDSC264230.30Golden Dyke330813.55867847.8301.3-50.8259.6SDDSC264AIn Progress plan 710 mGolden Dyke330813.55867847.8301.3-53.7267.1SDDSC2651028.50Apollo331615.05867951.0346.0-55.8270.7SDDSC265W1In Progress plan 436.5 mApollo331615.05867951.0346.0-61.3264.1SDDSC266In Progress plan 600 mApollo331525.05867844.0339.9-50.9280.6 Regional holes currently being processed and analyzed Hole ID Depth (m)Prospect East
GDA94 Z55 North
GDA94 Z55 Elevation
(m) Dip Azimuth
GDA94 Z55SDDTS009506.00Tonstall336984.35870557.1524.7-28.3285.0SDDTS008511.37Tonstall336992.95870558.4524.0-35.029.0SDDTS010535.79Tonstall336993.75870557.9524.1-37.044.4SDDTS011401.32Tonstall336992.15870557.3524.1-43.018.0SDDCN002259.88Consols336036.05870692.7484.1-37.0241.0SDDLV005A419.10Leviathan334566.15870167.8554.3-31.0206.0SDDLV006752.80Leviathan334569.45870170.0554.4-47.0152.0SDDCN003323.06Consols336041.35870692.1484.4-36.0130.0SDDCN005A229.30Consols336034.95870693.5484.0-30.0256.5SDDCN004271.30Consols336036.55870693.7484.1-49.0258.0SDDLV007395.10Leviathan334570.15870169.2554.4-29.0110.0SDDCN006179.80Consols336038.45870692.3484.3-78.0180.0SDDLV008302.93Leviathan334101.25870007.2544.1-60.099.0SDDTS012700.00Tonstall336992.05870558.0524.0-48.58.2SDDCN007152.40Consols336041.45870693.0484.4-50.0114.8SDDTS015In Progress plan 460 mTonstall337693.05870860.0523.0-45.078.0SDDTS014200.00Tonstall337693.05870860.0523.0-45.0180.0SDDLV010In Progress plan 750 mLeviathan334495.05869985.0553.0-30.0268.2SDDTS013380.00Tonstall337693.05870860.0523.0-38.0248.0SDDLV009335.00Leviathan334089.05870005.0544.0-33.0233.0Abandoned drill holes currently being processed and analyzedHole IDDepth (m)ProspectEast
GDA94 Z55North
GDA94 Z55Elevation
(m)DipAzimuth
GDA94 Z55SDDCN00534.69Consols336,034.95,870,693.5484.0-30.0256.5SDDLV00532.40Leviathan334,566.15,870,167.8554.3-33.0206.0SDDSC24220.65Golden Dyke330,813.65,867,847.0301.0-45.8267.2Table 2: Table of mineralized drill hole intersections reported from SDDSC222, SDDSC222W1, SDDSC223, SDDSC227 and SDDSC234 with two cutoff criteria. Lower grades cut at 1.0 g/t AuEq lower cutoff over a maximum of 2 m with higher grades cut at 5.0 g/t AuEq cutoff over a maximum of 1 m. Significant intersections and interval depths are rounded to one decimal place.
Hole numberFrom (m)To (m)Interval (m)Au g/tSb %AuEq g/tSDDSC222545.7548.62.90.30.41.4SDDSC222562.8564.71.90.50.62.0SDDSC222575.4576.51.00.47.217.7Including575.4575.80.40.817.743.1SDDSC222587.4591.33.90.60.21.1SDDSC222597.3603.05.74.31.37.5Including598.4601.73.46.11.910.8SDDSC222605.2606.21.05.60.97.8SDDSC222609.1610.21.12.91.15.5SDDSC222612.5616.03.51.30.11.5SDDSC222619.1620.00.93.85.717.5SDDSC222626.3627.20.93.70.24.3SDDSC222635.8637.92.120.00.020.0Including635.8636.20.38108.00.0108.0SDDSC222640.8642.92.14.41.06.8Including640.8642.41.65.61.18.2SDDSC222W1808.5809.10.6972.08.9993.2SDDSC223227.3228.81.61.80.11.9SDDSC223236.7237.71.03.21.67.0Including236.7237.40.83.82.18.9SDDSC223245.3247.62.311.21.113.9SDDSC223266.1266.20.141.03.248.6SDDSC223280.1281.51.410.90.211.4SDDSC227209.0209.80.87.81.310.8SDDSC227255.5256.20.73.50.75.2SDDSC227260.9266.05.118.43.727.2Including260.9263.52.634.27.151.1SDDSC227294.7297.62.90.80.00.8SDDSC227323.8331.57.83.70.95.8Including325.9327.21.38.70.610.2Including328.6329.00.425.19.447.6SDDSC227334.9335.20.344.00.044.0SDDSC234268.8269.10.37.20.27.7SDDSC234273.3275.82.51.30.11.6SDDSC234323.4324.51.15.40.77.0Including323.9324.50.69.01.111.6Table 3: All individual assays reported from SDDSC222, SDDSC222W1, SDDSC223, SDDSC227 and SDDSC234 reported here >0.1g/t AuEq. Individual assay and sample intervals are reported to two decimal places.
CriteriaJORC Code explanationCommentarySampling techniquesNature and quality of sampling (e.g. cut channels, random chips, or specific specialised industry standard measurement tools appropriate to the minerals under investigation, such as down hole gamma sondes, or handheld XRF instruments, etc.). These examples should not be taken as limiting the broad meaning of sampling.Include reference to measures taken to ensure sample representivity and the appropriate calibration of any measurement tools or systems used.Aspects of the determination of mineralization that are Material to the Public Report.In cases where 'industry standard' work has been done this would be relatively simple (e.g. 'reverse circulation drilling was used to obtain 1 m samples from which 3 kg was pulverised to produce a 30 g charge for fire assay'). In other cases more explanation may be required, such as where there is coarse gold that has inherent sampling problems. Unusual commodities or mineralization types (e.g. submarine nodules) may warrant disclosure of detailed information.Sampling has been conducted on drill core (half core for >90% and quarter core for check samples), grab samples (field samples of in-situ bedrock and boulders; including duplicate samples), trench samples (rock chips, including duplicates) and soil samples (including duplicate samples).
Locations of field samples were obtained by using a GPS, generally to an accuracy of within 5 metres. Drill hole and trench locations have been confirmed to <1 metre using a differential GPS.
Samples locations have also been verified by plotting locations on the high-resolution Lidar mapsDrill core is marked for cutting and cut using an automated diamond saw used by Company staff in Kilmore.
Samples are bagged at the core saw and transported to the Bendigo On Site Laboratory for assay.
At On Site samples are crushed using a jaw crusher combined with a rotary splitter and a 1 kg split is separated for pulverizing (LM5) and assay.Standard fire assay techniques are used for gold assay on a 25 g charge by experienced staff (used to dealing with high sulfide and stibnite-rich charges). On Site gold method by fire assay code PE01S.Screen fire assay is used to understand gold grain-size distribution where coarse gold is evident.ICP-OES is used to analyze the aqua regia digested pulp for an additional 12 elements (method BM011) and over-range antimony is measured using flame AAS (method known as B050).Soil samples were sieved in the field and an 80-mesh sample bagged and transported to ALS Global laboratories in Brisbane for super-low level gold analysis on a 50 g samples by method ST44 (using aqua regia and ICP-MS).Grab and rock chip samples are generally submitted to On Site Laboratories for standard fire assay and 12 element ICP-OES as described above.Drilling techniquesDrill type (e.g. core, reverse circulation, open-hole hammer, rotary air blast, auger, Bangka, sonic, etc.) and details (e.g. core diameter, triple or standard tube, depth of diamond tails, face-sampling bit or other type, whether core is oriented and if so, by what method, etc.).HQ or NQ diameter diamond drill core, oriented using Axis Champ orientation tool with the orientation line marked on the base of the drill core by the driller/offsider.
A standard 3 metre core barrel has been found to be most effective in both the hard and soft rocks in the project.Drill sample recoveryMethod of recording and assessing core and chip sample recoveries and results assessed.Measures taken to maximise sample recovery and ensure representative nature of the samples.Whether a relationship exists between sample recovery and grade and whether sample bias may have occurred due to preferential loss/gain of fine/coarse material.Core recoveries were maximised using HQ or NQ diamond drill core with careful control over water pressure to maintain soft-rock integrity and prevent loss of fines from soft drill core. Recoveries are determined on a metre-by-metre basis in the core shed using a tape measure against marked up drill core checking against driller's core blocks.Plots of grade versus recovery and RQD (described below) show no trends relating to loss of drill core, or fines.LoggingWhether core and chip samples have been geologically and geotechnically logged to a level of detail to support appropriate Mineral Resource estimation, mining studies and metallurgical studies.Whether logging is qualitative or quantitative in nature. Core (or costean, channel, etc.) photography.The total length and percentage of the relevant intersections logged.Geotechnical logging of the drill core takes place on racks in the company core shed.
Core orientations marked at the drill rig are checked for consistency, and base of core orientation lines are marked on core where two or more orientations match within 10 degrees.
Core recoveries are measured for each metre
RQD measurements (cumulative quantity of core sticks > 10 cm in a metre) are made on a metre-by-metre basis.Each tray of drill core is photographed (wet and dry) after it is fully marked up for sampling and cutting.The ½ core cutting line is placed approximately 10 degrees above the orientation line so the orientation line is retained in the core tray for future work.Geological logging of drill core includes the following parameters:
Rock types, lithology
Alteration
Structural information (orientations of veins, bedding, fractures using standard alpha-beta measurements from orientation line; or, in the case of un-oriented parts of the core, the alpha angles are measured)
Veining (quartz, carbonate, stibnite)
Key minerals (visible under hand lens, e.g. gold, stibnite)100% of drill core is logged for all components described above into the company MX logging database.Logging is fully quantitative, although the description of lithology and alteration relies on visible observations by trained geologists.Each tray of drill core is photographed (wet and dry) after it is fully marked up for sampling and cutting.Logging is considered to be at an appropriate quantitative standard to use in future studies.Sub-sampling techniques and sample preparationIf core, whether cut or sawn and whether quarter, half or all core taken.If non-core, whether riffled, tube sampled, rotary split, etc. and whether sampled wet or dry.For all sample types, the nature, quality and appropriateness of the sample preparation technique.Quality control procedures adopted for all sub-sampling stages to maximise representivity of samples.Measures taken to ensure that the sampling is representative of the in situ material collected, including for instance results for field duplicate/second-half sampling.Whether sample sizes are appropriate to the grain size of the material being sampled.Drill core is typically half-core sampled using an Almonte core saw. The drill core orientation line is retained.Quarter and half core is used when taking sampling duplicates (termed FDUP in the database).Sampling representivity is maximised by always taking the same side of the drill core (whenever oriented),and consistently drawing a cut line on the core where orientation is not possible. The field technician draws these lines.Sample sizes are maximised for coarse gold by using half core, and using quarter core and half core splits (laboratory duplicates) allows an estimation of nugget effect.In mineralized rock the company uses approximately 10% of core duplicates, certified reference materials (suitable OREAS materials), laboratory sample duplicates and instrument repeats.In the soil sampling program duplicates were obtained every 25th sample and the laboratory inserted low-level gold standards regularly into the sample flow.Quality of assay data and laboratory testsThe nature, quality and appropriateness of the assaying and laboratory procedures used and whether the technique is considered partial or total.For geophysical tools, spectrometers, handheld XRF instruments, etc., the parameters used in determining the analysis including instrument make and model, reading times, calibrations factors applied and their derivation, etc.Nature of quality control procedures adopted (e.g. standards, blanks, duplicates, external laboratory checks) and whether acceptable levels of accuracy (i.e. lack of bias) and precision have been established.The fire assay technique for gold used by On Site is a globally recognised method, and over-range follow-ups including gravimetric finish and screen fire assay are standard. Of significance at the On Site laboratory is the presence of fire assay personnel who are experienced in dealing with high sulfide charges (especially those with high stibnite contents) – this substantially reduces the risk of inaccurate reporting in complex sulfide-gold charges.Where screen fire assay is used, this assay will be reported instead of the original fire assay. The ICP-OES technique is a standard analytical technique for assessing elemental concentrations. The digest used (aqua regia) is excellent for the dissolution of sulfides (in this case generally stibnite, pyrite and trace arsenopyrite), but other silicate-hosted elements, in particular vanadium (V), may only be partially dissolved. These silicate-hosted elements are not important in the determination of the quantity of gold, antimony, arsenic or sulphur.A portable XRF has been used in a qualitative manner on drill core to ensure appropriate core samples have been taken (no pXRF data are reported or included in the MX database).Acceptable levels of accuracy and precision have been established using the following methods
¼ duplicates – half core is split into quarters and given separate sample numbers (commonly in mineralized core) – low to medium gold grades indicate strong correlation, dropping as the gold grade increases over 100 g/t Au.
½ duplicates – core is split into halves and given separate sample numbers (commonly in mineralized core) – low to medium gold grades indicate strong correlation, dropping as the gold grade increases over 100 g/t Au.
Washes – washes are inserted post visible gold or >1% visible stibnite to ensure contamination is minimised during the preparation stage
Blanks – blanks are inserted after visible gold and in strongly mineralized rocks to confirm that the crushing and pulping are not affected by gold smearing onto the crusher and LM5 swing mill surfaces. Results are excellent, generally below detection limit and a single sample at 0.03 g/t Au.
Certified Reference Materials – OREAS CRMs have been used throughout the project including blanks, low (<1 g/t Au), medium (up to 5 g/t Au) and high-grade gold samples (> 5 g/t Au). Results are automatically checked on data import into the MX database to fall within 2 standard deviations of the expected value.
Laboratory splits – On Site conducts splits of both coarse crush and pulp duplicates as quality control and reports all data. In particular, high Au samples have the most repeats.
Laboratory CRMs – On Site regularly inserts their own CRM materials into the process flow and reports all data
Laboratory precision – duplicate measurements of solutions (both Au from fire assay and other elements from the aqua regia digests) are made regularly by the laboratory and reported.Accuracy and precision have been determined carefully by using the sampling and measurement techniques described above during the sampling (accuracy) and laboratory (accuracy and precision) stages of the analysis.Soil sample company duplicates and laboratory certified reference materials all fall within expected ranges.Verification of sampling and assayingThe verification of significant intersections by either independent or alternative company personnel.The use of twinned holes.Documentation of primary data, data entry procedures, data verification, data storage (physical and electronic) protocols.Discuss any adjustment to assay data.The Independent Geologist has visited Sunday Creek drill sites and inspected drill core held at the Kilmore core shed - 11 December 2024 S.Tambanis.The CP & QP, Mr Kenneth Bush has visually inspected the drill core from holes in this release. The drill intersections match both the geological descriptions in the database and the expected assay data (for example, gold and stibnite visible in drill core is matched by high Au and Sb results in assays).In addition, on receipt of results Company geologists assess the gold, antimony and arsenic results to verify that the intersections returned expected data.The electronic data storage in the MX database is of a high standard. Primary logging data are entered directly by the geologists and field technicians and the assay data are electronically matched against sample number on return from the laboratory.Certified reference materials, ¼ core field duplicates (FDUP), laboratory splits and duplicates and instrument repeats are all recorded in the database.Exports of data include all primary data, from hole SDDSC077B onwards after discussion with SRK Consulting. Prior to this gold was averaged across primary, field and lab duplicates.Adjustments to assay data are recorded by MX, and none are present (or required).Twinned drill holes are not available at this stage of the project.Location of data pointsAccuracy and quality of surveys used to locate drill holes (collar and down-hole surveys), trenches, mine workings and other locations used in Mineral Resource estimation.Specification of the grid system used.Quality and adequacy of topographic control.Differential GPS used to locate drill collars, trenches and some workingsStandard GPS for some field locations (grab and soils samples), verified against Lidar data.Downhole surveys are collected by either electronic single-shot, REFLEX EZ-TRAC multi-shot or Imdex/Axis north-seeking gyro or a combination. During drilling, surveys are completed at a maximum of 30m intervals, with multi-shot surveys completed at hole completion or upon request by geologists at 3m intervals during drilling unless ground conditions are unsuitable.The grid system used throughout is Geocentric datum of Australia 1994; Map Grid Zone 55 (GDA94_Z55), also referred to as ELSG 28355. Reported azimuths also relate to MGA55 (GDA94_Z55).Topographic control is excellent owing to sub 10 cm accuracy from Lidar data.Data spacing and distributionData spacing for reporting of Exploration Results.Whether the data spacing and distribution is sufficient to establish the degree of geological and grade continuity appropriate for the Mineral Resource and Ore Reserve estimation procedure(s) and classifications applied.Whether sample compositing has been applied.The data spacing is suitable for reporting of exploration results – evidence for this is based on the improving predictability of high-grade gold-antimony intersections.At this time, the data spacing and distribution are not sufficient for the reporting of Mineral Resource Estimates. This however may change as knowledge of grade controls increase with future drill programs.Samples have been composited to a 1 g/t AuEq over 2.0 m width for lower grades and 5 g/t AuEq over 1.0 m width for higher grades in table 3. All individual assays above 0.1 g/t AuEq have been reported to two decimal places with no compositing in table 4. Orientation of data in relation to geological structureWhether the orientation of sampling achieves unbiased sampling of possible structures and the extent to which this is known, considering the deposit type.If the relationship between the drilling orientation and the orientation of key mineralized structures is considered to have introduced a sampling bias, this should be assessed and reported if material.The true thickness of the mineralized intervals reported are interpreted to be approximately 55-80% of the sampled thickness. Drilling is oriented in an optimum direction when considering the combination of host rock orientation and apparent vein control on gold and antimony grade.
The steep nature of some of the veins may give increases in apparent thickness of some intersections, but more drilling is required to quantify.A sampling bias is not evident from the data collected to date (drill holes cut across mineralized structures at a moderate angle).Sample securityThe measures taken to ensure sample security.Drill core is delivered to the Kilmore core logging shed by either the drill contractor or company field staff. Samples are marked up and cut by company staff at the Kilmore core shed, in an automated diamond saw and bagged before loaded onto strapped secured pallets and trucked by company staff to Bendigo for submission to the laboratory. There is no evidence in any stage of the process, or in the data for any sample security issues.Audits or reviewsThe results of any audits or reviews of sampling techniques and data.Continuous monitoring of CRM results, blanks and duplicates is undertaken by geologists and the company data geologist. Mr Kenneth Bush for SXG has the orientation, logging and assay data.Section 2 Reporting of Exploration Results
CriteriaJORC Code explanationCommentaryMineral tenement
and land tenure
statusType, reference name/number, location and ownership including agreements or material issues with third parties such as joint ventures, partnerships, overriding royalties, native title interests, historical sites, wilderness or national park and environmental settings.The security of the tenure held at the time of reporting along with any known impediments to obtaining a licence to operate in the area.The Sunday Creek Project, previously known as the Clonbinane Project, is covered by the Retention Licence RL 6040 and is surrounded by Exploration Licence EL6163 and Exploration Licence EL7232. All the licences are 100% held by Clonbinane Goldfield Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary company of Southern Cross Gold Ltd.Exploration done by
other parties Acknowledgment and appraisal of exploration by other parties.The Sunday Creek project is a high level orogenic (or epizonal) Fosterville-style deposit. Small scale mining has been undertaken in the project area since the 1880s continuing through to the early 1900s. Historical production occurred with multiple small shafts and alluvial workings across the Clonbinane Goldfield permits. Production of note occurred at the Clonbinane area with total production being reported as 41,000 oz gold at a grade of 33 g/t gold (Leggo and Holdsworth, 2013)Work in and nearby to the Sunday Creek Project area by previous explorers typically focused on finding bulk, shallow deposits. Beadell Resources were the first to drill deeper targets and Southern Cross have continued their work in the Sunday Creek Project area. EL54 - Eastern Prospectors Pty Ltd
Rock chip sampling around Christina, Apollo and Golden Dyke mines.
Rock chip sampling down the Christina mine shaft. Resistivity survey over the Golden Dyke. Five diamond drill holes around Christina, two of which have assays.ELs 872 & 975 - CRA Exploration Pty Ltd
Exploration focused on finding low grade, high tonnage deposits. The tenements were relinquished after the area was found to be prospective but not economic.
Stream sediment samples around the Golden Dyke and Reedy Creek areas. Results were better around the Golden Dyke. 45 dump samples around Golden Dyke old workings showed good correlation between gold, arsenic and antimony.
Soil samples over the Golden Dyke to define boundaries of dyke and mineralization. Two costeans parallel to the Golden Dyke targeting soil anomalies. Costeans since rehabilitated by SXG.ELs 827 & 1520 - BHP Minerals Ltd
Exploration targeting open cut gold mineralization peripheral to SXG tenements.ELs 1534, 1603 & 3129 - Ausminde Holdings Pty Ltd
Targeting shallow, low grade gold. Trenching around the Golden Dyke prospect and results interpreted along with CRAs costeans. 29 RC/Aircore holes totalling 959 m sunk into the Apollo, Rising Sun and Golden Dyke target areas. ELs 4460 & 4987 - Beadell Resources Ltd
ELs 4460 and 4497 were granted to Beadell Resources in November 2007. Beadell successfully drilled 30 RC holes, including second diamond tail holes in the Golden Dyke/Apollo target areas.Both tenements were 100% acquired by Auminco Goldfields Pty Ltd in late 2012 and combined into one tenement EL4987. Nagambie Resources Ltd purchased Auminco Goldfields in July 2014. EL4987 expired late 2015, during which time Nagambie Resources applied for a retention licence (RL6040) covering three square kilometres over the Sunday Creek Project. RL6040 was granted July 2017.Clonbinane Goldfield Pty Ltd was purchased by Mawson Gold Ltd in February 2020.Mawson drilled 30 holes for 6,928 m and made the first discoveries to depth.Geology Deposit type, geological setting and style ofmineralization.Refer to the description in the main body of the release.Drill hole Information A summary of all information material to the understanding of the exploration results including a tabulation of the followinginformation for all Material drill holes:easting and northing of the drill hole collar elevation or RL (Reduced Level – elevation above sea level in metres) of the drill hole collardip and azimuth of the holedown hole length and interception depth hole length.If the exclusion of this information is justified on the basis that the information is not Material and this exclusion does not detract from the understanding of the report, the Competent Person should clearly explain why this is the case.Refer to appendicesData aggregation methodsIn reporting Exploration Results, weighting averaging techniques, maximum and/or minimum grade truncations (e.g. cutting of high-grades) and cut-off grades are usually Material and should be stated.Where aggregate intercepts incorporate short lengths of high-grade results and longer lengths of low-grade results, the procedure used for such aggregation should be stated and some typical examples of such aggregations should be shown in detail.The assumptions used for any reporting of metal equivalent values should be clearly stated.See "Further Information" and "Metal Equivalent Calculation" in main text of press release.Relationship
between
mineralization
widths and
intercept lengthsThese relationships are particularly important in the reporting of Exploration Results.If the geometry of the mineralization with respect to the drill hole angle is known, its nature should be reported.If it is not known and only the down hole lengths are reported, there should be a clear statement to this effect (e.g 'down holelength, true width not known').See reporting of true widths in the body of the press release.DiagramsAppropriate maps and sections (with scales) and tabulations of intercepts should be included for any significant discovery being reported. These should include, but not be limited to a plan view of drill hole collar locations and appropriate sectional views.The results of the diamond drilling are displayed in the figures in the announcement.Balanced reportingWhere comprehensive reporting of all Exploration Results is not practicable, representative reporting of both low and high-grades and/or widths should be practiced to avoid misleading reporting of Exploration Results.All results above 0.1 g/t Au have been tabulated in this announcement. The results are considered representative with no intended bias.Core loss, where material, is disclosed in tabulated drill intersections.Other substantive exploration dataOther exploration data, if meaningful and material, should be reported including (but not limited to): geological observations; geophysical survey results; geochemical survey results; bulk samples – size and method of treatment; metallurgical test results; bulk density, groundwater, geotechnical and rock characteristics; potential deleterious or contaminating substances.Preliminary testing was reported in January 11, 2024. This established the general metallurgical test procedure for samples from the Sunday Creek deposits and demonstrated the basis for confidence in establishing prospects for economic recovery of contained gold and antimony to three separate products:Metallic gold product by gravity recoveryAntimony-gold flotation concentratePyrite-arsenopyrite-gold flotation concentrateTesting has now been expanded to include samples from additional zones of the mineral deposits and to refine metallurgical processes. The aim was to improve aspects of antimony concentrate production, maximise gold recovery to a high-grade metallic product, and to further investigate the nature of gold occurrence.The work, conducted by ALS Burnie Laboratories, focused on:Improving selectivity between sulphide minerals in the antimony flotation stage whilst maintaining high overall gold recovery.Further processing of the flotation concentrates, to assess the metallurgical response of contained gold.Mineralogical examination of selected product samples.It was demonstrated that, with appropriate process conditions, high antimony and gold recovery could be maintained whilst rejecting arsenic and iron sulphides in the first flotation stage. The antimony concentrate produced (~50% Sb, <0.2% As) is deemed to be attractive to the smelter market.Recovery of antimony to concentrate varied with feed type, and ranged from 83% to 93% for the samples tested from the antimony rich zones.Additional metallic gold was recovered from the flotation concentrate by gravity separation.The gold grade of the concentrate is a function of the proportion of feed gold associated with arsenic-iron sulphides, the ratio of gold to antimony in the feed, the gold recovered to the metallic gold product, and the flotation rate of gold in the first flotation stage.High overall gold recovery was achieved with all samples tested.Further WorkAdditional characterization testing across deposit zonesLocked cycle testing to confirm overall recoveriesMulti-stage cleaning optimization to maximize concentrate qualityPilot plant evaluation of larger samples Process plant design studies targeting Q1 2027 completionFurther workThe nature and scale of planned further work (e.g. tests for lateral extensions or depth extensions or large-scale step-out drilling).Diagrams clearly highlighting the areas of possible extensions, including the main geological interpretations and future drilling areas, provided this information is not commercially sensitive.The Company has stated it will drill 200,000 m through 2025 to Q1 2027. See diagrams in presentation which highlight current and future drill plans.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/312497
Source: Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd.
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XLU gives you exposure to over 30 utilities, but the AI data-center boom is quietly concentrating inside just a handful of them, and owning the fund means paying for a lot of names that will miss the surge entirely.
If you own the Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA:XLU), you bought it for a reason: cheap, diversified access to America’s regulated utilities, a low beta, and a dividend check that arrives whether the market rallies or rolls over. XLU has done that job for two decades, and its $23.1 billion in net assets says plenty of investors agree. But XLU’s roughly 2.7% yield and 3.78% one-year return understate what is happening inside the sector right now, and three of its own top holdings are the reason.
What XLU Actually Owns, and Why It Dilutes the Story XLU is top-heavy, with NextEra alone making 12.9% of the fund. The next four positions, Southern, Duke, Constellation, and AEP, make up another roughly 25%. The remaining 60% is a long tail of water utilities, gas distributors, and slower-growing regional names like Atmos, CenterPoint, Ameren, and PPL. That tail is what keeps XLU’s yield near the sector average and its earnings growth close to GDP. The AI and data-center demand supercycle is not evenly distributed across those 30-plus holdings. It is concentrated in a handful of them, and you can own those directly.
Southern Company: The Southeast Data-Center Magnet Southern Company (NYSE:SO | SO Price Prediction) yields 3.35% on a forward dividend of $3.04, meaningfully above XLU. More importantly, Q2 adjusted EPS came in at $1.13, and management said data center usage was 55% higher than the prior-year quarter. Georgia Power just signed a 3.2 gigawatt, 25-year contract with OpenAI, and total contracted large-load agreements now exceed 17 gigawatts by the mid-2030s, backed by roughly $21 billion of collateral. Southern has raised its dividend for more than two decades, most recently to $0.76 per quarter. Trading at a 19x forward P/E, it captures the Southeast growth story XLU only partially expresses.
Duke Energy: The Compounding Dividend Machine Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK) yields 3.53% and just raised its quarterly payout to $1.085, marking over 20 years of consecutive annual dividend increases. Duke beat consensus for a fifth straight quarter with Q2 adjusted EPS of $1.43, reaffirmed 5% to 7% long-term EPS growth through 2030, and guided to the top half of that range starting in 2028. CEO Harry Sideris said Duke is “deploying more than $1 billion per month” in regulated capital, with 7.8 gigawatts of signed data-center agreements and $5 to $10 billion of upside to the current five-year capital plan. At a 18x forward P/E, you are paying utility multiples for a growth ramp that XLU averages away.
American Electric Power: The Transmission Toll Road American Electric Power (NASDAQ:AEP) is the pure transmission play. Commercial load in its vertically integrated segment jumped 14.9% in Q2, and management raised 2026 EPS guidance to $6.25 to $6.55. The company’s $78 billion five-year capital plan is expected to produce nearly 11% rate-base CAGR, with contracted load additions now at 69 gigawatts through 2030, of which 45 gigawatts sit in ERCOT. AEP yields 3.08% and targets 7% to 9% annual earnings growth, with an expected CAGR above 9% through 2030. That is roughly double what the average XLU holding will deliver.
Tradeoffs You Are Accepting A three-stock sleeve of SO, DUK, and AEP concentrates you in regulated electric utilities in the Southeast, Carolinas/Midwest/Florida, and 11-state AEP footprint. You lose XLU’s exposure to water, gas distribution, and independent power producers like Vistra and Constellation. You take on single-state regulatory risk, and you have to rebalance yourself. With the 10-year Treasury at 4.67%, none of these yields dominate risk-free income, so the case rests on dividend growth plus rate-base compounding, not on income alone.
How to Think About the Switch In a tax-advantaged account, rotating out of XLU into an equal-weight basket of SO, DUK, and AEP is a clean trade: no capital-gains friction, higher blended yield, and direct exposure to the load-growth names already inside XLU. In a taxable account, weigh embedded gains from XLU’s 139% ten-year run before selling; a partial rotation, funded with new capital rather than a full liquidation, often makes more sense. If you want XLU’s diversification and defensive character above all else, stay put. If you want the AI power-demand tailwind expressed at full strength, the three names are already sitting in your ETF, just diluted, and the same buildout is pulling in the cooling, networking, and equipment suppliers we profiled in a free report on seven AI infrastructure stocks that aren’t chipmakers.
Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.
Bank of Nova Scotia bought a new position in Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 167,168 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $16,000,000.
Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank bought a new stake in shares of Southern in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $1,111,450,000. Capital World Investors grew its position in Southern by 22.6% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 41,142,076 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $3,587,589,000 after acquiring an additional 7,593,224 shares in the last quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD lifted its stake in shares of Southern by 18.7% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 34,459,462 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $3,004,866,000 after purchasing an additional 5,436,212 shares during the last quarter. Mitsubishi UFJ Asset Management Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in shares of Southern in the 2nd quarter valued at $264,829,000. Finally, Soroban Capital Partners LP boosted its holdings in Southern by 83.8% in the second quarter. Soroban Capital Partners LP now owns 4,097,422 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $376,266,000 after purchasing an additional 1,867,912 shares in the last quarter. 64.10% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.
Analysts Set New Price Targets Several research firms have commented on SO. Jefferies Financial Group set a $99.00 target price on shares of Southern in a research report on Monday, June 22nd. Morgan Stanley dropped their target price on shares of Southern from $92.00 to $89.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday. Weiss Ratings restated a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Southern in a research note on Wednesday, July 29th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price target on Southern from $102.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, KeyCorp lowered Southern from a “sector weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $79.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, July 23rd. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $100.09.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Southern Southern Stock Performance Shares of SO stock opened at $90.10 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.59 and a current ratio of 0.79. Southern Company has a 52 week low of $83.80 and a 52 week high of $100.83. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $94.45 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $94.44. The company has a market capitalization of $103.65 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.34.
Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, July 29th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.01 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $6.98 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.23 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 12.93% and a net margin of 15.43%.Southern’s quarterly revenue was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.79 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Southern Company will post 4.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Southern Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Investors of record on Monday, August 17th will be paid a $0.76 dividend. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 17th. Southern’s dividend payout ratio is 72.90%.
Southern Company Profile (Free Report)
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Southern’s principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.
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Vancouver, British Columbia and Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 25, 2026) - Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3) ("SXGC", "SX2" or the "Company") announces results from five drill holes at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Victoria, comprising the deepest west-to-east drill holes under Rising Sun (Figures 1 to 6). Four deep holes, including one wedge (SDDSC230W1), tested Rising Sun at depth.
The Southern Company SOMN UNIT 12/15/28 offers a compelling hybrid security with a 7.125% coupon and equity upside, rated Strong Buy. Recent price weakness in SO enhances SOMN's attractiveness, especially for investors confident in SO's ability to navigate climate policy shifts. SO is investing $80 billion over five years in grid modernization, storm-hardening, and advanced technologies, positioning for future energy demand and reliability.
LUXEMBOURG, Aug. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Koryx Copper S.A. (TSX:KRY.V) (NSX:KYX) (OTCQX:KRYXF) (“Koryx” or the "Company") is pleased to announce assay results from 19 drill holes (8,586m) received as part of the ongoing infill and expansion drill program on the wholly-owned Haib Copper Project (“Haib” or the “Project”) in southern Namibia. Haib is a massive, disseminated porphyry Cu deposit with associated Mo and Au and is envisaged to produce a Cu and Mo concentrate via large-scale open pit mining and conventional sulphide milling and flotation.
Heye Daun, Koryx Copper’s President & CEO commented: “These results continue the trend of recent months, with exceptional widths at consistent and regular higher grades above the average MRE grade. HM167 returned 969m at 0.27% CuEq from surface, which is our longest mineralised intersection at Haib to date. HM185 delivered 236m at 0.57% CuEq and HM177 returned 30m at 1.10% CuEq from only 8m depth again demonstrating the high-grade potential of the system. With this batch, our infill drilling is nearing completion, and results continue to trend to the upside ahead of the expected late 2026 mineral resource update.”
Infill and Expansion Drill Results
Target Area 1:
HM160 was drilled along the eastern edge of Target 1, results in the upper portion of the hole correlate well with the existing model. While higher grades were anticipated at depth, the intersections returned are significantly wider and higher grade than expected, including 74m at 0.54% Cu, comprising 6m at 1.36% Cu (0.36g/t Au), and a further 8m at 1.69% Cu. Tungsten (W) was encountered at elevated grades over two 2m intervals, returning 994ppm and 313ppm respectively. Mo grades are very low across the full length of the hole.
HM169 is located north of the Volstruis River, results confirm the down-dip extension of mineralization in this area and correlate well with the current model. Consistent with the broader trend in this area, Mo grades remain very low (<20ppm), while two 2m intervals returned 0.13g/t and 0.28g/t Au.
HM170 was drilled in the south of Target 1, results indicate that higher-grade Cu mineralization extends further south than currently modelled. Cu is well developed over the first 164m of the hole, including 24m at 0.35% Cu and 56m at 0.38% Cu, with several intervals exceeding 0.5% Cu. Mo grades are low but increase with depth, and gold is present, with two 2m intervals exceeding 0.1g/t Au.
HM177 is located in the centre of Target 1, this infill hole is spatially consistent with the model but returned grades significantly higher than expected. A 30m intersection from 8m downhole averaging 1.06% Cu is exceptional, containing two 2m intervals grading over 4% Cu — among the highest grades returned to date at Haib. At depth, a 64m interval averaged 0.43% Cu, including 6m at 1.86% Cu with 1,128ppm Mo, and deeper still a further 10m interval averaged 1.23% Cu, including two intervals grading over 2% Cu. Gold grades increase from 252m downhole, including 4m at 0.27g/t Au (316m downhole) and 2m at 0.36g/t Au (408m downhole). Sporadic W is present at high grades to 116m downhole, and a 4m interval returned 10g/t silver (Ag) at 316m downhole.
HM181 was drilled in the south of Target 1 to better define the spatial limits of mineralization, this hole returned very low grades across all metals (Cu, Mo, Au) for its full length, confirming that it lies outside Target 1 mineralization.
Target Area 2:
HM159 was drilled near the Quartz Vein that separates Target 1 and Target 2, intersecting it approximately 142m downhole, Cu results are consistent with expectations. In the deeper portion of the hole, W is well developed, returning 6m at 751ppm (574m downhole) and 30m at 139ppm W (604m downhole). Mo grades increase from 250m downhole.
HM164 is located in the southwest of Target 2, this infill hole returned Cu grades consistent with expectations. Mo grades to approximately 800m downhole are strong, materially improving the Cu-equivalent grade over this interval.
HM165 was drilled on the same section line as HM159, this hole begins in Target 1 mineralization before passing through the Quartz Vein into Target 2. Cu grades are lower than modelled between 36m and 74m downhole but are otherwise consistent with expectations. Mo grades are elevated between 186m and 314m downhole but low elsewhere. W occurs in multiple >10m intervals grading above 100ppm within the upper 294m of the hole, the widest being 12m at 192ppm and 18m at 118ppm. Gold grades are very low throughout.
Figure 1: Plan view indicating recent drill hole locations. Results indicated in black are shown on the long section below
Figure 2. Long section showing seventeen drillhole intersections relative to the model for CuEq% Intercepts
HM167 is located 70m west of HM159 and HM165, this hole remains within Target 2 mineralization for its full length despite deviating eastwards at depth. Cu grades correlate well with the current model, while Mo grades are notably higher and a significant contributor to CuEq grades. Gold grades are low, and W occurs sporadically in 2m intervals above 100ppm throughout the hole.
HM168 was drilled 60m north of HM167 along the same section line, this infill hole returned excellent Cu results consistent with the current model. Mo grades are again very high, though in places associated with low Cu grades — for example, averaging 507ppm Mo against only 0.16% Cu between 392m and 426m downhole. Gold is present, with 2m at 2.58g/t Au (596m downhole) and 2m at 0.46g/t Au (594m downhole).
HM171 was drilled in the north of Target 2, as expected this hole intersected the Cu-depleted East-West Fault Zone that separates Targets 2 and 3. Notably, the upper, higher-grade zones intersected lie outside the current resource model and represent potential for a significant tonnage gain. Mo and gold grades are very low, consistent with this area.
HM175 is located 35m east of HM171, Cu results correlate well with the existing model and may support a marginal tonnage gain. As expected, Mo and gold grades are very low.
Target Area 3:
HM150 was drilled in the south of Target 3, Cu results are consistent with expectations. Mo grades are generally elevated but often associated with lower-grade Cu (<0.20% Cu). Gold is practically absent.
HM166 is located in the west of Target 3, where higher-grade mineralization occurs across multiple, steeply dipping, parallel zones, Cu results reflect this trend and correlate with the current model. Mo grades are good, supplementing the Cu-equivalent grade throughout, while gold remains low.
HM173 is positioned on the western edge of Target 3, results confirm that higher-grade Cu mineralization extends further west than modelled. The deeper intervals (30m at 0.30% Cu (94m downhole) and 92m at 0.34% Cu (176m downhole)) both lie outside the current model and represent potential for a significant tonnage gain in this region. Mo and gold grades are low throughout.
HM174 was drilled 200m north of HM173 on the same section line, Cu results correlate well with the existing model. Mo grades can be locally strong (>100ppm), but these intervals are narrow and sporadic. Gold grades are low throughout.
HM185 was drilled into the centre of Target 3 mineralization, this infill hole returned exceptional results consistent with the current model. Mo occurs at high levels throughout, though not always associated with higher-grade Cu. The reported 236m averaging 0.51% Cu (0.57% CuEq) is among the best intersections returned to date at Haib in terms of contained metal, comprising numerous wide intervals above 0.6% Cu, including 10m at 1.00% Cu. W is present at concentrations above 100ppm, though these intervals are narrow and sporadic.
Target Area 4:
HM162 is collared well south of Target 4 and drilled northward into the target, this hole's higher-grade deep intersections correlate well with the down-dip projection of known Target 4 mineralization. Notably, 56m at 0.35% Cu (124m downhole) represents entirely new Cu mineralization; while its extent is not yet fully defined, this area represents a future resource-expansion target. Mo and gold grades are low throughout, although sporadic 2m W intervals above 200ppm were intersected.
HM172 was drilled in the far south of Target 4, 8m at 0.37% Cu confirms the presence of, and tightens the drill spacing on, the higher-grade Cu zone previously intersected in historical boreholes HB089 and HB091 in this region. Mo and gold grades are low throughout.
Table of Significant Intersections
Hole#ZoneFrom (m)To (m)Width (m)1Cu (%)Mo (ppm)Au (g/t)CuEq (%)2HM150
X: 780782, Y 6823212, Z: 481, Azimuth: 017, Dip: -74, Depth 387 Entire Hole03873870.20480.0120.23Main485460.28480.0090.30Main849060.38190.0160.40Main96122260.32340.0160.34Including 10611260.55840.0270.60Main134144100.40670.0200.43Including 14014221.021790.0551.12Main238310720.30500.0130.33Including 28028880.71100.0120.72HM159
X: 781669, Y 6822282, Z: 573, Azimuth: 019, Dip: -79, Depth 672 Entire Hole06726720.19790.0140.23Main66136700.30820.0190.35Including 11812460.93590.0360.97Including 13013660.41810.0210.46Main26026880.281330.0150.34Main384432480.321020.0150.37Including 416428120.502030.0230.59Main556586300.282350.0250.38Including 57258080.502190.0400.60HM160
X: 782145, Y 6822353, Z: 413, Azimuth: 228, Dip: -82, Depth 443 Entire Hole04434430.23430.0180.26Main26827020.894520.1051.13Main290364740.54830.0550.61Including 29630261.36430.3641.64Including 31632481.69380.0501.74Including 32433280.651440.0420.74Including 35636040.66360.0610.71Main40441060.36480.0240.39HM162
X: 780888, Y 6822546, Z: 532, Azimuth: 020, Dip: -62, Depth 517 Entire Hole05775770.19450.0070.21Main124180560.35490.0170.38Including 166176100.50680.0180.54Main324350260.38280.0190.40Main364374100.34180.0240.36HM164
X: 781346, Y 6822559, Z: 495, Azimuth: 025, Dip: -60, Depth 855 Entire Hole08558550.231080.0170.28Main3450160.242110.0160.32Including 485020.161,1950.0110.61Main7084140.272380.0150.37Main11211640.74300.0650.80Main186198120.241510.0160.31Main2503601100.363330.0250.50Including 288308200.543690.0460.71Including 33634260.451,0490.0240.85Including 35035220.611,9650.0171.34Main368380120.185970.0230.41Main52252860.39370.0300.42Main54655260.37480.0220.40Main592640480.46980.0290.52Including 62062880.592780.0330.72Main652692400.30760.0230.35Including 65866680.441490.0300.51Main750808580.31560.0220.35Including 77678260.401750.0480.50Including 79880020.80940.0280.86Main832846140.27590.0160.31HM165
X: 781700, Y 6822453, Z: 511, Azimuth: 011, Dip: -85, Depth 600 Entire Hole06006000.27350.0230.30Main7284120.33130.0290.36Main98176780.41140.0240.43Including 9810240.75130.0210.77Including 116128120.58410.0420.63Including 14214860.64220.0350.67Including 17017660.5360.0310.55Main218260420.261570.0100.32Including 25025440.386640.0150.63Main270324540.41600.0310.46Including 300314140.77720.0500.83Main368416480.44360.0300.48Including 37838020.92460.0520.97Including 39039660.55390.0280.58Main48849240.82360.0300.86HM166
X: 780703, Y 6823188, Z: 486, Azimuth: 021, Dip: -54, Depth 455 Entire Hole04554550.20610.0130.24Main5466120.30180.0120.31Main768480.30880.0130.34Main92106140.28570.0170.31Main12212640.5190.0230.53Main140150100.651770.0170.72Including 14014441.2160.0151.22Main184196120.261130.0160.31Main250282320.29970.0140.33Including 25025440.44580.0190.47Including 26427060.373060.0130.49Main436454180.243370.0190.38Including 43844020.452,4400.0461.37HM167
X: 781610, Y 6822344, Z: 539, Azimuth: 033, Dip: -69, Depth 969 Entire Hole09699690.23840.0210.27Main190204140.29230.0260.32Main216240240.34990.0370.41Including 23023660.512540.0610.64Main268286180.381890.0340.48Including 27027220.951690.0631.06Including 28228420.537800.0370.84Main308318100.271860.0220.35Main388398100.29350.0230.32Main450536860.251170.0270.31Including 50851680.37250.0320.41Including 52652820.71190.0490.75Including 53453620.032,7100.0271.04Main550608580.342630.0210.45Main674694200.252360.0260.36Including 68068440.297170.0330.58Main724738140.34190.0280.37Including 72673040.52390.0340.56Main788816280.39420.0260.42Including 81081660.63390.0360.67Main846932860.321970.0250.41Including 85886680.346580.0220.60Including 870884140.393710.0260.55Including 886898120.391200.0260.45Including 90490621.03700.0671.10Including 91492280.391150.0270.45HM168
X: 781623, Y 6822428, Z: 495, Azimuth: 020, Dip: -63, Depth 729 Entire Hole17297280.261030.0270.32Main627080.31630.0190.35Main124156320.251690.0180.33Main17017880.392160.0250.49Main288328400.511970.0270.60Including 29430281.02520.0421.07Main33234080.421460.0230.49Main358386280.291530.0170.36Main3945261320.262210.0180.35Including 404416120.148780.0200.48Including 424438140.314920.0190.50Including 452468160.341510.0220.41Main486548620.27870.0180.31Main554604500.351580.1430.51Including 58258640.67690.0330.71Including 594604100.44820.6210.92Main620692720.33550.0240.36Including 62262640.72110.0360.75Including 65665820.94400.0841.01Including 68268860.43850.0270.48Main706729230.32530.0190.35Including 70871680.46570.0260.50HM169
X: 782013, Y 6822830, Z: 405, Azimuth: 186, Dip: -68, Depth 320 Entire Hole03203200.1690.0280.19Main140152120.65150.0490.69Including 14214641.14120.0611.19Main166178120.3280.0630.37Main19820460.27150.0520.32Main300320200.2930.0330.31HM170
X: 782042, Y 6822245, Z: 437, Azimuth: 198, Dip: -64, Depth 314 Entire Hole03143140.22390.0300.25Main21080.35720.0630.43Main343840.64560.0480.70Main7498240.35210.0370.38Including 889020.96200.0471.00Main108164560.38190.0340.41Including 12212421.29140.0421.33Including 13013880.58350.0430.63Including 15816241.03220.0401.07Main25425840.282550.0300.39Main29830240.335620.0610.58HM171
X: 781618, Y 6823145, Z: 429, Azimuth: 016, Dip: -59, Depth 312 Entire Hole03123120.21200.0120.22Main1054440.39340.0150.41Including 3048180.48420.0150.51Main92158660.30110.0150.32Including 92102100.48160.0180.50HM172
X: 780713, Y 6822471, Z: 557, Azimuth: 009, Dip: -73, Depth 150 Entire Hole11501490.14100.0200.16Main9410280.3790.0370.40HM173
X: 780553, Y 6823228, Z: 521, Azimuth: 015, Dip: -58, Depth 285 Entire Hole02852850.25110.0210.27Main81020.3750.0240.39Main667480.77190.0340.80Including 666821.03310.0481.08Including 707220.93260.0510.97Main94124300.3090.0240.32Including 9410280.4080.0360.43Main176268920.34220.0250.36Including 22823241.03680.0681.10Including 24625260.52210.0340.55HM174
X: 780607, Y 6823420, Z: 549, Azimuth: 011, Dip: -56, Depth 285 Entire Hole02852850.17330.0140.19Main064640.29520.0210.32Including 323640.58460.0290.62Including 606440.482330.0210.58Main116138220.30540.0210.34Main14815240.565330.0260.77HM175
X: 781713, Y 6823187, Z: 438, Azimuth: 009, Dip: -80, Depth 182 Entire Hole01821820.17180.0100.18Main223080.80150.0270.83Including 242841.07220.0271.10Main404880.4590.0160.47Main11412060.30120.0130.32HM177
X: 782000, Y 6822374, Z: 456, Azimuth: 197, Dip: -83, Depth 414 Entire Hole14144130.34490.0290.38Main838301.06390.0381.10Including 182241.231750.0761.35Including 222424.63150.0934.70Including 323424.39170.0924.46Main98118200.27850.0230.32Main136150140.30410.0310.34Main190220300.32290.0240.35Including 21622040.56430.0470.61Main236254180.53440.0470.58Including 24424841.521370.0401.60Main262326640.431540.0440.52Including 31632261.861,1280.2002.42Main356376200.31170.0240.33Main400410101.23470.1211.33Including 40040222.001300.1342.14Including 40841022.63260.3612.90HM181
X: 781842, Y 6822060, Z: 554, Azimuth: 197, Dip: -61, Depth 230 Entire Hole02302300.13220.0130.15HM185
X: 781033, Y 6823226, Z: 455, Azimuth: 009, Dip: -65, Depth 413 Entire Hole04134130.37890.0220.41Main3650140.36460.0200.40Main1563922360.511110.0300.57Including 17418060.722120.0380.82Including 184194101.001080.0531.08Including 202214120.70510.0490.75Including 22223080.631310.0310.70Including 266280140.60610.0340.65Including 336346100.77300.0390.81Including 38038660.681,0400.0441.09Main40641370.251400.0150.32 Legend
Cu (%) Mo (ppm)Au (g/t)CuEq (%) <0.4<100<0.10<0.4 0.4 - 0.5100 - 200≥ 0.100.4 - 0.5 0.5 - 0.7200 - 1,000 0.5 - 0.7 0.7 - 1.0≥ 1,000 0.7 - 1.0 1.0 - 3.0 1.0 - 3.0 ≥ 3.0 ≥ 3.0 True widths are unknown. Widths are interval widths and not true widths. The reported intervals are calculated using the following parameters: Only CuEq (%) was used to determine the intervals.The target composite grade is ≥0.30% CuEq.Composites start and end with samples ≥0.30% CuEq.Grades between 0.20% and 0.30% are included in interval but generally constitute <40% of the interval.Consecutive samples between 0.20% and 0.30% should be fewer than 5 samples (10m).Grades below 0.20% are included but generally constitute <20% of the interval.Consecutive grades <0.2% should be fewer than 2 samples (4m). Mineral Resource (MRE) copper equivalent (CuEq%) values have been calculated using commodity type and price considering the relevant recovery rate. The following metal prices were used Cu US$4.54/lb; Mo US$22.68/lb; Au US$4,000/oz along with the following recoveries indicated from test work, Cu 89%; Mo 65% and Au 50%. The CuEq was then calculated using CuEq = [(Cu grade/100 * 0.89 Cu recovery * 2204.62 * $4.54 Cu price/lb) + (Mo ppm/1000000 * 0.65 Mo recovery * 2204.62 * $22.68 Mo price/lb) + (Au grade * 0.50 Au recovery * 4000 Au price/oz / 31.1035)] / [0.89 Cu Recovery * 2204.62 * $4.54 Cu price/lb]Partial results previously reported Quality Assurance / Quality Control
All drill core is HQ sized at collar and reduced to NQ size in fresh rock. The core was all logged, photographed, and cut in half with a diamond saw. Half of the core was bagged and sent to ALS Laboratories Ltd. in Johannesburg, South Africa for analysis (SANAS Accredited Testing Laboratory, No. T0387) and ActLabs in Canada, while the other half was quartered with one quarter archived and stored on site for verification and reference purposes while the other quarter will be used for metallurgical test work. 33 elements are analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) utilizing a 4-acid digestion and gold is assayed for using a 30g fire assay method. Duplicate samples, blanks, and certified standards are included with every batch and are actively used to ensure proper quality assurance and quality control (“QA/QC”) The QA/QC frequency is 1 in 20 for each of blanks, duplicates and standards.
Qualified Persons
Mr. Dean Richards, BSc. (Hons) Geology, Pr.Sci.Nat., MGSSA – is the Qualified Person for the Haib Copper Project and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release and is a registered Professional Natural Scientist with the South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (Pr.Sci.Nat. No. 400190/08). Mr. Richards is independent of the Company and its mineral properties and is a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101.
Appointment of Head of Investor Relations
The Company is also pleased to announce that, subject to TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") approval, it has entered into an investor relations consulting agreement (the "Agreement") with Ms. Aideen McDermott to provide investor relations and corporate communications services to the Company. Under the Agreement, Ms. McDermott will oversee the Company's investor relations and corporate communications functions. The Agreement has an initial term of 12 months commencing August 1, 2026, under which the Company will pay Ms. McDermott CAD$5,000 per month, with an option to renew monthly, unless terminated earlier per its terms. Ms. McDermott is also eligible to receive stock options at a later date. The Agreement remains subject to TSXV approval.
Based in Toronto, ON, Ms. McDermott has a strong background in capital markets and investor relations, currently providing IR consulting services to junior mining companies in gold and copper exploration, as well as technology firms. Prior to that, she held roles on the equity sales desks at Beacon Securities and BMO Capital Markets.
About Koryx Copper S.A.
Koryx Copper S.A. is a Luxembourg domiciled copper development Company focused on advancing its 100% owned Haib Copper Project in Namibia whilst also building a portfolio of copper exploration licenses in Zambia. Haib is a large copper porphyry deposit in southern Namibia with significant gold and molybdenum credits and a long history of exploration and project development by multiple operators.
More than 150,000m of drilling has been conducted at Haib since the 1970’s with significant exploration programs led by companies including Falconbridge (1964), Rio Tinto (1975), Teck (2014) and Koryx Copper (2021-2026). Extensive further drilling, metallurgical testing and various technical studies have been completed at Haib. Additional studies are underway aiming to demonstrate Haib as a future long-life, low-cost, low-risk open pit, sulphide milling and flotation copper project with additional heap leach potential.
Mineralisation at Haib is typical of a porphyry copper deposit and is dominantly chalcopyrite with minor bornite and chalcocite present and only minor secondary copper minerals at surface due to the arid environment. Haib is one of only a few examples of a Paleoproterozoic porphyry copper deposit in the world. Due to its age, the deposit has been subjected to multiple metamorphic and deformation events but still retains many of the classic mineralisation and alteration features typical of these deposits.
Further details of the Haib Copper Project are available in the technical report titled “March 2026 Mineral Resource Estimate Haib Copper Project, Namibia, National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report” dated effective March 16, 2026. The report and other information are available on the Company's website at www.koryxcopper.com and under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.
Additional information is also available by contacting the Company:
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the future or prospects of the Haib project or the Company, including prospective production rates and life-of-mine, the timing of publishing a PFS, the commencement of trading of the Shares under the new Company name, and the effective date of the new CUSIP and ISIN assigned to the Shares. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, other factors may cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management discussion and analysis. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
Large-load growth continues to provide benefits to customers with expected savings for Georgia Power customers to increase to $180 per year for the typical residential customer;
Agreement builds on company's prior base rate freeze and overall reduction in rates announced this summer
, /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Georgia Power announced that its contract to serve OpenAI's new project in Effingham County has been approved as part of the regulatory process with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC). This marks the latest step in the company's proactive strategy to ensure Georgia's growth benefits the customers it serves. With the projects announced to date and projected future growth in the state, Georgia Power customers are expected to see savings of at least $15 per month beginning in 2029 for the typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, an increase from the company's December 2025 commitment of $102 per year to $180 per year.
The increased savings for customers are the result of projected incremental revenue from new large-load customers that is expected to provide savings of approximately $950 million per year, increasing customer benefits to $2.847 billion over the three-year period of 2029-2031.
The company's contract with OpenAI was filed with the Georgia PSC in July and includes 3,200 megawatts (MW) of new demand. Under that agreement, OpenAI will pay the full cost of the infrastructure needed to serve it and has committed up to 1,000 MW of flexible demand response, which enables Georgia Power to reduce energy delivered to the facility during periods of high demand and invest in fewer new generation resources to serve future growth. Read more here: Georgia Power to serve OpenAI project in Effingham County.
When the first signs of projected extraordinary growth appeared in the state, Georgia Power began developing a framework with the Georgia PSC designed to turn that projected growth into lower costs and higher reliability for customers. Today's announcement also follows the prior freeze on base rates approved by the Georgia PSC in July 2025, as well as the plan approved in May 2026 to lower overall rates.
"We know every dollar counts, and we know that in many parts of the country growth is pushing electric rates up. That is not happening in Georgia," said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. "In December, we committed to $102 a year in savings for the typical family beginning in 2029. Today, that number is expected to be $180. We appreciate the continued diligence of the Commission and its staff in helping us deliver these savings for customers, and ensuring the right protections are in place for the millions of Georgians we are privileged to serve."
Since 1990, Georgia Power has offered rates, on average, 15 percent below the national average while also offering flexible rate plans for residential and business customers, as well as a wide variety of programs to help customers save money and energy. With new residents moving to the state and large-load customers like data centers and manufacturers choosing Georgia, Georgia Power and the Georgia PSC took early action to put protections for customers in place by introducing new Georgia PSC Rules and Regulations. In addition, the company made a broader commitment to customers in the Georgia Power Customer Protection Pledge which reaffirms the company's commitment to serving the interests, the communities, and the priorities of its 2.8 million customers.
"Data centers are paying more so families and small businesses can pay less, and our goal with every contract we sign under this framework is to deliver value for them," added Greene. "Our customers depend on us for reliable and affordable energy every day, and that is the focus behind every decision we make."
To learn more about how Georgia Power is keeping energy reliable and rates stable for millions of Georgia homes and businesses, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning projected incremental revenues from large-load customers and expected customer savings. Georgia Power cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Georgia Power; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Georgia Power's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2026 and June 30, 2026 and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: state and federal rate regulations and the impact of pending and future rate cases and negotiations, including rate actions relating to return on equity, equity ratios, additional generating capacity and transmission facilities and fuel and other cost recovery mechanisms; the impact of recent and future federal and state legal and regulatory changes, including tax, environmental and other laws and regulations to which Georgia Power is subject, as well as changes in application of existing laws, regulations and guidance; the extent and timing of costs and legal requirements related to coal combustion residuals; current and future litigation or regulatory investigations, proceedings or inquiries; the effects, extent and timing of the entry of additional competition in the markets in which Georgia Power operates, including from the development and deployment of alternative energy sources; variations in demand for electricity; available sources and costs of natural gas and other fuels and commodities; the ability to control costs and avoid cost and schedule overruns during the development, construction and operation of facilities or other projects; legal proceedings and regulatory approvals and actions related to past, ongoing and proposed construction projects; the ability to construct facilities in accordance with the requirements of permits and licenses, to satisfy any environmental performance standards and the requirements of tax credits and other incentives and to integrate facilities into the Southern Company system upon completion of construction; investment performance of the employee and retiree benefit plans and nuclear decommissioning trust funds; advances in technology, including the pace and extent of development of low- to no-carbon energy and battery energy storage technologies and the impact of advancing technology on data center and other large load customer demand; the ability to successfully operate Georgia Power's generation, transmission and distribution facilities and the successful performance of necessary corporate functions; the inherent risks involved in operating nuclear generating facilities; the ability of counterparties of Georgia Power to make payments as and when due and to perform as required; the direct or indirect effect on Georgia Power's business resulting from cyber intrusion or physical attack and the threat of cyber and physical attacks; global and U.S. economic conditions, including impacts from geopolitical conflicts, recession, inflation, changes in trade policies (including tariffs and other trade measures) of the United States and other countries, interest rate fluctuations and financial market conditions and the results of financing efforts; prolonged or recurring U.S. federal government shutdowns; access to capital markets and other financing sources; changes in Georgia Power's credit ratings; the ability of Georgia Power to obtain additional generating capacity (or sell excess generating capacity) at competitive prices; catastrophic events such as fires, including wildfires, land movement, earthquakes, explosions, floods, high winds, tornadoes, hurricanes and other storms, solar flares, droughts, future epidemic or pandemic health events, wars, political unrest or other similar occurrences; the direct or indirect effects on Georgia Power's business resulting from incidents affecting the U.S. electric grid or operation of generating resources; and the effect of accounting pronouncements issued periodically by standard-setting bodies. Georgia Power expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information.
Georgia Power's contract with OpenAI approved; Latest approval part of portfolio of large-load contracts delivering approximately $950 million in annual savings beginning in 2029 PR Newswire
ATLANTA, Aug. 26, 2026
Large-load growth continues to provide benefits to customers with expected savings for Georgia Power customers to increase to $180 per year for the typical residential customer;
Agreement builds on company's prior base rate freeze and overall reduction in rates announced this summer
, /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Georgia Power announced that its contract to serve OpenAI's new project in Effingham County has been approved as part of the regulatory process with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC). This marks the latest step in the company's proactive strategy to ensure Georgia's growth benefits the customers it serves. With the projects announced to date and projected future growth in the state, Georgia Power customers are expected to see savings of at least $15 per month beginning in 2029 for the typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, an increase from the company's December 2025 commitment of $102 per year to $180 per year.
The increased savings for customers are the result of projected incremental revenue from new large-load customers that is expected to provide savings of approximately $950 million per year, increasing customer benefits to $2.847 billion over the three-year period of 2029-2031.
The company's contract with OpenAI was filed with the Georgia PSC in July and includes 3,200 megawatts (MW) of new demand. Under that agreement, OpenAI will pay the full cost of the infrastructure needed to serve it and has committed up to 1,000 MW of flexible demand response, which enables Georgia Power to reduce energy delivered to the facility during periods of high demand and invest in fewer new generation resources to serve future growth. Read more here: Georgia Power to serve OpenAI project in Effingham County.
When the first signs of projected extraordinary growth appeared in the state, Georgia Power began developing a framework with the Georgia PSC designed to turn that projected growth into lower costs and higher reliability for customers. Today's announcement also follows the prior freeze on base rates approved by the Georgia PSC in July 2025, as well as the plan approved in May 2026 to lower overall rates.
"We know every dollar counts, and we know that in many parts of the country growth is pushing electric rates up. That is not happening in Georgia," said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power. "In December, we committed to $102 a year in savings for the typical family beginning in 2029. Today, that number is expected to be $180. We appreciate the continued diligence of the Commission and its staff in helping us deliver these savings for customers, and ensuring the right protections are in place for the millions of Georgians we are privileged to serve."
Since 1990, Georgia Power has offered rates, on average, 15 percent below the national average while also offering flexible rate plans for residential and business customers, as well as a wide variety of programs to help customers save money and energy. With new residents moving to the state and large-load customers like data centers and manufacturers choosing Georgia, Georgia Power and the Georgia PSC took early action to put protections for customers in place by introducing new Georgia PSC Rules and Regulations. In addition, the company made a broader commitment to customers in the Georgia Power Customer Protection Pledge which reaffirms the company's commitment to serving the interests, the communities, and the priorities of its 2.8 million customers.
"Data centers are paying more so families and small businesses can pay less, and our goal with every contract we sign under this framework is to deliver value for them," added Greene. "Our customers depend on us for reliable and affordable energy every day, and that is the focus behind every decision we make."
To learn more about how Georgia Power is keeping energy reliable and rates stable for millions of Georgia homes and businesses, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning projected incremental revenues from large-load customers and expected customer savings. Georgia Power cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Georgia Power; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Georgia Power's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2026 and June 30, 2026 and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: state and federal rate regulations and the impact of pending and future rate cases and negotiations, including rate actions relating to return on equity, equity ratios, additional generating capacity and transmission facilities and fuel and other cost recovery mechanisms; the impact of recent and future federal and state legal and regulatory changes, including tax, environmental and other laws and regulations to which Georgia Power is subject, as well as changes in application of existing laws, regulations and guidance; the extent and timing of costs and legal requirements related to coal combustion residuals; current and future litigation or regulatory investigations, proceedings or inquiries; the effects, extent and timing of the entry of additional competition in the markets in which Georgia Power operates, including from the development and deployment of alternative energy sources; variations in demand for electricity; available sources and costs of natural gas and other fuels and commodities; the ability to control costs and avoid cost and schedule overruns during the development, construction and operation of facilities or other projects; legal proceedings and regulatory approvals and actions related to past, ongoing and proposed construction projects; the ability to construct facilities in accordance with the requirements of permits and licenses, to satisfy any environmental performance standards and the requirements of tax credits and other incentives and to integrate facilities into the Southern Company system upon completion of construction; investment performance of the employee and retiree benefit plans and nuclear decommissioning trust funds; advances in technology, including the pace and extent of development of low- to no-carbon energy and battery energy storage technologies and the impact of advancing technology on data center and other large load customer demand; the ability to successfully operate Georgia Power's generation, transmission and distribution facilities and the successful performance of necessary corporate functions; the inherent risks involved in operating nuclear generating facilities; the ability of counterparties of Georgia Power to make payments as and when due and to perform as required; the direct or indirect effect on Georgia Power's business resulting from cyber intrusion or physical attack and the threat of cyber and physical attacks; global and U.S. economic conditions, including impacts from geopolitical conflicts, recession, inflation, changes in trade policies (including tariffs and other trade measures) of the United States and other countries, interest rate fluctuations and financial market conditions and the results of financing efforts; prolonged or recurring U.S. federal government shutdowns; access to capital markets and other financing sources; changes in Georgia Power's credit ratings; the ability of Georgia Power to obtain additional generating capacity (or sell excess generating capacity) at competitive prices; catastrophic events such as fires, including wildfires, land movement, earthquakes, explosions, floods, high winds, tornadoes, hurricanes and other storms, solar flares, droughts, future epidemic or pandemic health events, wars, political unrest or other similar occurrences; the direct or indirect effects on Georgia Power's business resulting from incidents affecting the U.S. electric grid or operation of generating resources; and the effect of accounting pronouncements issued periodically by standard-setting bodies. Georgia Power expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information.
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NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / August 27, 2026 / Southern Cross Acquisition II Corp. (NASDAQ:SCATU) (the "Company"), a Cayman Islands exempted company, announced today the closing of its initial public offering of 7,652,630 units at $10.00 per unit, which includes the partial exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase an additional 152,630 units to cover over-allotments. The gross proceeds from the offering were $76,526,300 before deducting underwriting discounts and estimated offering expenses. The units are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market ("Nasdaq") and began trading under the ticker symbol "SCATU" on August 26, 2026. Each unit consists of one ordinary share, one redeemable warrant, and one right to receive one-fourth of one ordinary share upon consummation of an initial business combination. Each redeemable warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the ordinary shares, warrants and rights are expected to be listed on Nasdaq under "SCAT," "SCATW," and "SCATR," respectively.
Concurrently with the closing of the initial public offering, the Company closed a private placement of 224,932 units at a price of $10.00 per unit, resulting in gross proceeds of $2,249,320. The private placement units are identical to the units sold in the initial public offering, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in the final prospectus.
D. Boral Capital LLC acted as sole book-running manager of the offering.
Robinson & Cole LLP served as legal counsel to the Company on the initial public offering. Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP served as legal counsel to D. Boral Capital LLC.
Of the net proceeds received from the consummation of the initial public offering and simultaneous private placement, approximately $76,717,616 ($10.025 per unit sold in the public offering) was placed in trust. An audited balance sheet of the Company as of August 27, 2026, reflecting receipt of the proceeds upon the consummation of the initial public offering and the private placement, will be included as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
A final prospectus relating to and describing the final terms of the offering was filed with the SEC on August 26, 2026. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from D. Boral Capital LLC, 590 Madison Ave., 39th Floor, New York, New York 10022, by telephone at (212) 970-5150 or by email at [email protected]. Copies of the registration statement can also be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About Southern Cross Acquisition II Corp.
The Company is a blank check company formed to effect a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. The Company's target search will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements," including with respect to the initial public offering, the anticipated use of the net proceeds and the search for an initial business combination. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described, or at all, or that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement, preliminary prospectus and final prospectus for the Company's offering filed with the SEC. Copies are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based, except as required by law.
Borders & Southern Petroleum (AIM:BOR) said accelerating development of the Sea Lion oil project is sharpening investor attention on the Falkland Islands as the company advances talks over a farm-out of its own Darwin discovery.
The explorer pointed to Navitas Petroleum’s commitment to secure a second FPSO for Sea Lion and Rockhopper Exploration’s recent capital raise to meet additional development costs, saying the investment reinforced the Falklands’ emergence as a new oil-producing region.
Borders & Southern owns 100% of its acreage and estimates Darwin contains 462 million barrels of recoverable liquid hydrocarbons on a P50 basis, alongside what it described as substantial exploration upside.
The company said it is engaging with multiple third parties on a farm-out and that “significant progress has been made”, with a further market update expected when the process concludes. Its three South Falkland Basin licences span nearly 10,000 square kilometres.
Earlier this week, Rockhopper Exploration PLC (AIM:RKH) (Rockhopper Exploration PLC (AIM:RKH)) said the value of its interest in the Sea Lion development has risen sharply after an updated independent assessment incorporated more resources and the accelerated development of the field's Central Development Area (CDA). It comes as JV partner Navitas is advancing plans to accelerate and expand efforts into the CDA, with an additional FPSO (floating production storage and offloading) vessel, with a project that Rockhopper recently noted would require additional funding.
The Netherland, Sewell & Associates evaluation increased the NPV10 attributable to Rockhopper's 35% interest across 2P reserves and development-pending 2C resources by around $788 million compared with the December 2025 assessment. Based on the figures published, those categories now carry a combined NPV10 of roughly $2.96 billion.
In the past, Rockhopper and its discovery at Sea Lion led the interest and sentiment and brought attention to other exploration stories like Borders & Southern. Now as Navitas pushes the same discovery though development and scale up, history may begin to repeat itself.
Borders today highlighted: "The steadfast dedication by Navitas demonstrates their confidence in the basin and the favourable fiscal regime. In particular, the Company would like to congratulate Sam Moody and his Rockhopper team in achieving a substantial capital raise, at minimal discount, to finance their share of the extra capex requirements.
"The commitment to secure a second FPSO and the concomitant substantial capital committed, reinforces the irrevocable journey the Falkland Islands is making to becoming a new oil province. For Borders & Southern, this continues to point the spotlight towards this nascent hydrocarbon region, and reenforces our own experience of support for renewed investor interest."
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Ancora Advisors LLC acquired a new position in shares of Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor acquired 9,617 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $920,000.
Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Empowered Funds LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Southern by 17.5% in the 1st quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 34,003 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $3,127,000 after buying an additional 5,067 shares during the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its holdings in Southern by 0.7% during the second quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 59,217 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $5,438,000 after buying an additional 393 shares during the last quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd bought a new stake in Southern during the second quarter worth $655,000. Sei Investments Co. raised its position in Southern by 11.5% during the second quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 449,960 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $41,320,000 after acquiring an additional 46,504 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its stake in Southern by 2.7% in the second quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 514,736 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $47,268,000 after acquiring an additional 13,392 shares during the last quarter. 64.10% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Southern Trading Down 0.9% Shares of SO stock opened at $88.94 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $94.22 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $94.42. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The company has a market capitalization of $102.32 billion, a PE ratio of 21.33, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.72 and a beta of 0.34. Southern Company has a 12-month low of $83.80 and a 12-month high of $100.83.
Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.12. The company had revenue of $6.98 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.23 billion. Southern had a return on equity of 12.93% and a net margin of 15.43%.The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.79 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that Southern Company will post 4.59 earnings per share for the current year. Southern Dividend Announcement The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 17th will be given a $0.76 dividend. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 17th. Southern’s payout ratio is presently 72.90%.
Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Mizuho set a $106.00 price objective on shares of Southern in a research report on Friday, July 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised their target price on shares of Southern from $101.00 to $104.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. KeyCorp cut Southern from a “sector weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $79.00 price target for the company. in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. BMO Capital Markets boosted their price target on Southern from $102.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, July 27th. Finally, Truist Financial dropped their price objective on Southern from $100.00 to $97.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 13th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $100.09.
View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Southern
Southern Profile (Free Report)
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Southern’s principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.
Read More Five stocks we like better than Southern Nutanix’s Rally Has a Bigger Story Than Earnings as AMD’s AI Bet Takes Shape SEC Probe Puts Wall Street Leverage Risk Back in Focus A Bearish-Dollar Options Surge Raises the Stakes for Warsh at Jackson Hole Five Below’s Turnaround Is Working—But Has the Stock Run Too Far? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report).
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Key Takeaways SO's Georgia Power secured approval for an OpenAI deal that could add 3,200 MW of demand.OpenAI will cover project-specific infrastructure costs and make up to 1,000 MW of electricity load flexible.Georgia Power projects about $950 million in annual customer savings starting in 2029. Southern Company’s (SO - Free Report) largest electric subsidiary, Georgia Power, has received regulatory approval for a major electricity supply agreement with OpenAI, highlighting the growing investment opportunity created by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and data center infrastructure.
The agreement covers OpenAI’s planned project in Effingham County, Georgia, and could add approximately 3,200 megawatts (“MW”) of new electricity demand to Georgia Power’s system. The deal is significant not only because of its size, but also because it shows how utilities could benefit from the accelerating power needs of the AI economy.
A 3.2-GW Customer Is a Major AdditionA 3.2-GW electricity load is substantial. It is comparable to the output of several large conventional power plants and represents a meaningful increase in demand for Georgia Power.
The agreement comes as electricity consumption in the United States is entering a period of renewed growth. After years of relatively modest demand increases, utilities are now preparing for rapidly expanding requirements from AI, cloud computing, semiconductor manufacturing, industrial reshoring and population growth.
Georgia is emerging as an important destination for hyperscale data centers and AI infrastructure. For Southern Company, this creates an opportunity to expand its customer base and potentially generate higher revenues as large technology companies require increasingly large amounts of electricity.
Importantly, OpenAI has agreed to make up to 1,000 MW of its electricity demand flexible. This means Georgia Power could reduce power deliveries to the facility during periods of exceptionally high system demand.
That flexibility could help the utility manage peak loads without building generation capacity solely for the data center. From an investor perspective, this is an important feature because it could help balance growth in electricity demand with the cost of maintaining system reliability.
Protecting Existing CustomersOne of the biggest questions surrounding the data center boom is who ultimately pays for the massive infrastructure required to serve these facilities.
Utilities may need to invest in generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure to accommodate new large-load customers. If those costs are spread across the broader customer base, residential and smaller commercial customers could potentially face higher rates.
Georgia Power’s agreement with OpenAI takes a different approach. According to the SO’s Unit press release, OpenAI will cover the full cost of infrastructure specifically required to serve its project. That arrangement could help reduce the risk that existing customers are forced to subsidize the infrastructure associated with rapidly expanding data center demand.
SO’s Unit and regulators have also established a framework for large-load customers designed to protect existing customers from costs associated with new data centers and other major industrial users. For Southern Company investors, this regulatory structure could become increasingly important as the utility pursues additional large-load opportunities.
Potential Customer Savings Add Another PositivePerhaps the most notable aspect of the announcement is the projected benefit to Georgia Power customers.
The utility expects revenues from OpenAI and other previously announced large-load customers, combined with additional projected growth, to generate approximately $950 million in annual customer savings beginning in 2029. Over the 2029–2031 period, Georgia Power projects total customer benefits of approximately $2.847 billion. For a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month, the projected benefit is now expected to reach at least $15 per month, or $180 annually, starting in 2029. That represents an increase from the previously announced commitment of $102 per year in December 2025.
For investors, these figures suggest that large-load growth does not necessarily have to translate into higher costs for existing customers. If structured effectively, attracting major electricity users could help spread fixed system costs across a larger revenue base while allowing the utility to invest in infrastructure that supports long-term growth.
Why This Matters for Southern CompanyGeorgia Power serves approximately 2.8 million customers and is Southern Company’s principal electric utility subsidiary. The OpenAI agreement therefore represents more than a single customer contract—it is a potential indicator of the changing economics of the utility industry.
Southern Company already operates in a region benefiting from population growth, manufacturing investment and rising electricity consumption. The addition of AI and hyperscale data centers could further strengthen the company’s long-term demand outlook.
The company’s ability to secure large customers while requiring them to shoulder project-specific infrastructure costs could also offer an attractive model for managing the financial risks associated with the data center boom.
The agreement follows a July 2025 freeze on Georgia Power base rates and a separate plan approved in May 2026 to reduce overall rates, adding another layer to the utility’s evolving regulatory and financial outlook.
The Bottom Line for SO InvestorsThe OpenAI deal reinforces a broader investment thesis for Southern Company: electricity demand is becoming an increasingly valuable growth driver. The key issue for investors will be whether SO can convert surging AI and data center demand into sustainable earnings and cash-flow growth while controlling capital expenditures and protecting existing customers from unnecessary costs.
Georgia Power’s agreement with OpenAI provides several encouraging signals. The 3.2-GW load creates substantial potential demand, the flexible-load commitment could improve grid management, and OpenAI’s responsibility for project-specific infrastructure helps limit the financial burden on existing customers.
As AI development accelerates, electricity may become one of the most important physical inputs supporting the technology boom. Utilities capable of supplying that power efficiently—and under favorable regulatory structures—could become some of the unexpected beneficiaries of the AI investment cycle. For Southern, Georgia Power’s OpenAI agreement could be an important early example of that opportunity.
SO’s Zacks Rank and Key PicksCurrently, SO carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Investors interested in the utility sector might look at some better-ranked stocks like CLP (CLPHY - Free Report) , Exelon (EXC - Free Report) and RWE AG (RWEOY - Free Report) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
CLP is worth approximately $25.62 billion. CLP is a Hong Kong-based Asia-Pacific power company involved across the electricity value chain, including generation, transmission, distribution and retail, with a growing focus on renewable energy and storage.
Exelon is worth approximately $45.87 billion. Exelon is a U.S. regulated utility holding company that operates six transmission and distribution utilities serving nearly 11 million customers across several major U.S. markets.
RWE AG is worth approximately $48.69 billion. RWE is a Germany-based international power producer focused on renewable energy, including offshore wind, while also operating flexible conventional generation, storage and energy-trading businesses.
Beacon Pointe Advisors LLC bought a new position in Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report) in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 94,275 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $9,023,000.
A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the stock. Marble Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Southern in the 4th quarter valued at about $4,443,000. Wolverine Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in Southern during the fourth quarter valued at about $2,462,000. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. raised its holdings in Southern by 121.4% during the 4th quarter. Mawer Investment Management Ltd. now owns 1,767,773 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $154,150,000 after buying an additional 969,493 shares during the last quarter. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp boosted its position in Southern by 29.2% during the 1st quarter. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp now owns 50,628 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $4,887,000 after buying an additional 11,448 shares during the period. Finally, M&T Bank Corp increased its stake in shares of Southern by 7.1% during the fourth quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 158,292 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $13,803,000 after buying an additional 10,531 shares during the period. 64.10% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Analysts Set New Price Targets A number of research analysts have weighed in on SO shares. Truist Financial reduced their target price on Southern from $100.00 to $97.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, August 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their price target on shares of Southern from $101.00 to $104.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 16th. Barclays reduced their price target on shares of Southern from $99.00 to $98.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of Southern in a report on Wednesday, July 29th. Finally, Mizuho set a $106.00 target price on Southern in a report on Friday, July 31st. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Southern presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $100.09.
View Our Latest Research Report on Southern Southern Trading Down 1.0% NYSE:SO opened at $88.18 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $101.44 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.15, a PEG ratio of 1.71 and a beta of 0.34. Southern Company has a 52 week low of $83.80 and a 52 week high of $100.83. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $94.12 and a 200 day moving average of $94.38.
Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.12. The business had revenue of $6.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.23 billion. Southern had a net margin of 15.43% and a return on equity of 12.93%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.79 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Southern Company will post 4.59 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.
Southern Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.76 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 17th. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.4%. Southern’s payout ratio is presently 72.90%.
About Southern (Free Report)
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Southern’s principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.
Further Reading Five stocks we like better than Southern 3 Financial Stocks Positioned for the Fed’s Next Move After Jackson Hole IREN’s AI Pivot Looks Real, But the Market Wanted a Faster Payoff After Earnings Boeing’s $131B F-15 Win: Mach 1 Momentum or Just Altitude? Okta Stock Surges 29%—Is $200 the Next Stop? Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report).
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Emera (OTCMKTS:EMRAF – Get Free Report) and Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Free Report) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings and profitability.
Earnings and Valuation This table compares Emera and Southern”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
Gross Revenue Price/Sales Ratio Net Income Earnings Per Share Price/Earnings Ratio Emera N/A N/A N/A $1.97 23.11 Southern $29.55 billion 3.43 $4.34 billion $4.17 21.15 Southern has higher revenue and earnings than Emera. Southern is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Emera, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks. Analyst Ratings This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for Emera and Southern, as provided by MarketBeat.
Sell Ratings Hold Ratings Buy Ratings Strong Buy Ratings Rating Score Emera 0 0 0 0 0.00 Southern 2 11 7 0 2.25 Southern has a consensus price target of $100.09, indicating a potential upside of 13.50%. Given Southern’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Southern is more favorable than Emera.
Institutional and Insider Ownership 23.7% of Emera shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 64.1% of Southern shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Southern shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Profitability This table compares Emera and Southern’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
Net Margins Return on Equity Return on Assets Emera N/A N/A N/A Southern 15.43% 12.93% 3.28% Dividends Emera pays an annual dividend of $1.45 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.2%. Southern pays an annual dividend of $3.04 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.4%. Emera pays out 73.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Southern pays out 72.9% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Southern has increased its dividend for 25 consecutive years. Southern is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.
Summary Southern beats Emera on 13 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Emera (Get Free Report)
Emera Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity to various customers. The company operates through Florida Electric Utility, Canadian Electric Utilities, Other Electric Utilities, Gas Utilities and Infrastructure, and Other segments. It generates electricity through natural gas, solar, hydroelectricity, coal, and biomass power plants. The company is also involved in the purchase, transmission, distribution, and sale of natural gas; and the provision of energy marketing, trading, and other energy asset management services. In addition, it transports re-gasified liquefied natural gas from Saint John, New Brunswick to consumers in the northeastern United States through its 145-kilometer pipeline. As of December 31, 2023, the company’s electric utilities served approximately 840,000 customers in West Central Florida; 549,000 customers in Nova Scotia; 134,000 customers in the island of Barbados; 19,000 customers in the Grand Bahama Island; and gas utilities and infrastructure served approximately 490,000 customers across Florida and 540,000 customers in New Mexico. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Halifax, Canada.
About Southern (Get Free Report)
The Southern Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. The company also develops, constructs, acquires, owns, and manages power generation assets, including renewable energy projects and sells electricity in the wholesale market; and distributes natural gas in Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Tennessee, as well as provides gas marketing services, gas distribution operations, and gas pipeline investments operations. In addition, it owns and operates nuclear, coal, hydro, cogeneration, solar, wind, battery storage, and fuel cell facilities. Further, the constructs, operates, and maintains approximately 77,900 miles of natural gas pipelines and 14 storage facilities with total capacity of 157 Bcf to provide natural gas to residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The company serves approximately 8.9 million electric and gas utility customers. Further, it develops distributed energy and resilience solutions; deploys microgrids for commercial, industrial, governmental, and utility customers; and offers digital wireless communications and fiber optics services. The Southern Company was incorporated in 1945 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
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ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)---- $AVAV #AVAV--AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain defense technologies, today announced a planned $100 million investment in a unified company-owned campus on approximately 20 acres in Moorpark, California. The campus will bring teams and capabilities from five leased Southern California locations together to strengthen collaboration across research, engineering, design, prototyping, and production. “This infrastructure inve.
Allworth Financial LP acquired a new stake in Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund acquired 171,520 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $16,416,000.
Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. AG purchased a new position in Southern in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $2,456,000. Silvant Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Southern in the second quarter worth $165,000. LaSalle St. Investment Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Southern during the second quarter worth $391,000. Mystic Asset Management Inc. bought a new position in shares of Southern during the second quarter worth $1,908,000. Finally, Kilter Group LLC purchased a new position in Southern during the second quarter valued at $47,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 64.10% of the company’s stock.
Analyst Ratings Changes SO has been the topic of several research reports. Jefferies Financial Group set a $99.00 target price on Southern in a report on Monday, June 22nd. Truist Financial lowered their target price on Southern from $100.00 to $97.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 13th. KeyCorp lowered shares of Southern from a “sector weight” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $79.00 target price for the company. in a report on Thursday, July 23rd. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Southern from $99.00 to $98.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, June 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an “underweight” rating on shares of Southern in a research report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $100.09.
Get Our Latest Stock Analysis on Southern Southern Trading Down 0.8% SO stock opened at $91.47 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62. Southern Company has a twelve month low of $83.80 and a twelve month high of $100.83. The stock has a market capitalization of $105.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.34. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $94.62 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $94.44.
Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.12. Southern had a net margin of 15.43% and a return on equity of 12.93%. The business had revenue of $6.98 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.23 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.79 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, analysts anticipate that Southern Company will post 4.58 earnings per share for the current year.
Southern Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Investors of record on Monday, August 17th will be given a $0.76 dividend. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, August 17th. Southern’s dividend payout ratio is 72.90%.
About Southern (Free Report)
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Southern’s principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.
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Drill hole SNR26-117 returned 10.04m grading 12.18 g/t Au and 103 g/t Ag, extending high-grade gold and silver mineralization below the deepest mining stopes proposed in Westhaven’s 2025 preliminary economic assessment (“PEA”).
Drill hole SNR26-110 returned 37.34m grading 6.24 g/t Au and 55 g/t Ag, confirming thick, high-grade gold and silver mineralization at the southeastern margin of the deposit.
35,000m resource infill drilling program is >76% complete, with four active drills on the South Zone deposit
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Westhaven Gold Corp. (TSX-V: WHN) (OTCQB: WTHVF) (FRA: 1W5) (“Westhaven” or the “Company”) is pleased to report the fifth batch of assay results from the ongoing 35,000m resource infill drilling program, presently supported by four drill rigs at the South Zone gold and silver deposit on the Shovelnose gold property in southern British Columbia.
Ken Armstrong, President and CEO of Westhaven, commented:
“This latest batch of assays from ongoing resource infill drilling includes two drill holes that confirm the presence of thick, high-grade gold and silver mineralization both below and at the southeastern margin of the South Zone deposit. Drill hole SNR26-117 is of particular importance as its 10m interval grading 12.18 g/t Au and 103 g/t Ag has extended mineralization below the deepest proposed mining stopes in Westhaven’s 2025 preliminary economic assessment. Similarly, SNR26-110, returning 37.34m grading 6.24 g/t Au and 55 g/t Ag, has confirmed thick, high-grade mineralization at the southeastern edge of the deposit. Follow up drilling is required in the vicinity of both of these holes where there is clearly potential to increase contained ounces in the South Zone deposit.”
Highlight results reported today include intersections of 37.34m grading 6.24 g/t Au and 55 g/t Ag (SNR26-110) in the southeastern part of the South Zone deposit, and 10.04m grading 12.18 g/t Au and 103 g/t Ag (SNR26-117) located below the proposed mine development in Westhaven’s 2025 PEA.
In addition to the infill resource drilling, the 2026 field program continues with exploration drilling and surface field work within the greater Shovelnose property area and is expected to continue through mid-December. This work is being funded under a strategic earn-in agreement with Dundee Corporation (“Dundee”), whereby Dundee may earn up to a 60% interest in Westhaven's four Spences Bridge Gold Belt properties through up to CDN$85,000,000 in staged project expenditures. Under the first phase, Dundee has committed a minimum of CDN$30,000,000, inclusive of a fully funded 50,000m resource infill and exploration drill program and ongoing pre-feasibility study (“PFS”) work at Shovelnose.
South Zone Mineral Resource Infill Drilling
Assay results from the ongoing 35,000m resource infill drilling program at the South Zone deposit continue to show excellent continuity of mineralization in each of Vein Zones 1, 2 and 3. Results have been received from an additional 6 infill drill holes and are reported in Table 1. Earlier assays from the 2026 infill drilling program can be found Westhaven news releases dated: May 7, linked here, May 26, linked here, July 7, linked here, and July 28, linked here. The resource drilling program has been designed to infill the deposit at nominal 25m centres with results to be included in an updated mineral resource estimate to support a PFS targeting completion in H2 2027. To date, 85 drill holes (26,581m) have been completed representing approximately three-quarters of the planned program metreage.
Table 1 shows assay results, including drill hole locations and orientations, and is also linked here. Reported assay intervals represent downhole intersections, not true widths. True widths can be estimated at approximately 70-80% of the reported intervals.
Figure 1 shows the locations of the drill holes reported in this news release, as well as the other holes completed in 2026, the planned 2026 drill collar locations and the drill collars of pre-2026 drilling of the South Zone.
Figure 2 presents a South Zone cross-section highlighting drill hole SNR26-117, and Figure 3 presents a South Zone cross-section highlighting drill hole SNR26-110. The sections are viewed to the northwest (310°) and illustrate strong continuity of mineralization hosted within structurally controlled quartz veins and hydrothermal breccia zones.
Sampling, Laboratory Analyses and Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)
Most core samples consist of halved drill core cut by manual sawing using industry standard core saws. In rare cases, and where required by physical core conditions, manual splitting may be used. Half of the core is retained in the original core box for reference samples and any required future work, including QA/QC. Core samples, controlled by a unique bar-coded reference number, are delivered to ALS’s Kamloops facility and prepared using the PREP-31 package. Each core sample is crushed to better than 70% passing a 2mm (Tyler 9 mesh, US Std. No.10) screen. A split of 250g is taken and pulverized to better than 85% passing a 75-micron (Tyler 200 mesh, US Std. No. 200) screen.
Further analytical and assay procedures are conducted in ALS’s North Vancouver facility. A 0.75g subsample of the pulverized split is subjected to four acid digestion and analyzed via ICP-MS (method code ME-MS61m (+Hg)) which reports a suite of 49 elements.
All samples are also analyzed for gold by fire assay with an AES finish, method code Au-ICP21 (30g sample size) or Au-ICP22 (50g sample size). Samples returning gold values over 10ppm are subjected to over-limit check assays using fire assay and a gravimetric finish (method code Au-GRA21 and a 30g sample size, or Au-GRAV22 and a 50g sample size). The switch to 50g aliquots applies to 2026 resource infill drill holes starting at, and including, SNR26-98. Other over-limit elements may also be subjected to ore grade analyses which vary depending on the element of interest.
ALS’s facilities are accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for gold assays, and all analytical methods include quality control materials at set frequencies with established data acceptance criteria.
QA/QC incorporates the laboratory’s internal quality assurance controls as well as Westhaven’s field controls, including the insertion of quarter core duplicates, certified reference materials and blanks, each at a rate of roughly one per 20-25 core samples. Additional blanks are inserted following samples with visible gold or significant concentrations of ginguro (fine grained bands of dark gray to black sulphides).
QA/QC data are evaluated on receipt for failures, and appropriate action is taken if results for duplicates, standards and blanks fall outside allowed tolerances. Westhaven’s ongoing QA/QC programs are consistent with industry best practices and include auditing of all exploration data. Any significant changes will be reported when available.
Figure 1 – Plan View Map August 2026
Figure 2 – South Zone Cross Section A-A’
Figure 3 – South Zone Cross Section B-B’
Reported intervals are at least 2m in length with a 1 g/t Au cut-off for individual samples and no more than 3m contiguous metres dilution.
Or less than 2m in length with an individual sample returning >10 g/t Au.
*Reported interval includes 4.10 contiguous metres with assays <1 g/t Au.
Table 1 – Assay Highlights
ABOUT WESTHAVEN GOLD CORP.
Westhaven is a gold and silver focused exploration and development company targeting low sulphidation, high-grade, epithermal style gold and silver mineralization within the Spences Bridge Gold Belt in southern British Columbia. Westhaven controls ~60,263 hectares within four properties spread along this underexplored belt.
The Shovelnose gold and silver project is the most advanced property, with a 2025 updated Preliminary Economic Assessment that validates the project’s potential as a robust, low cost and high margin 11-year underground gold mining opportunity with average annual life-of-mine production of 56,000 ounces gold and 313,000 ounces silver with a CDN$454 million after-tax net present value (at a 6% discount rate) and 43.2% IRR (base case parameters of US$2,400 per ounce gold, US$28 per ounce silver and CDN/US$ exchange rate of CDN$1.00=US$0.72).1
On February 23, 2026, Westhaven closed a strategic earn-in agreement with Dundee Corporation, whereby Dundee may earn up to a 60% interest in Westhaven's four Spences Bridge Gold Belt properties through up to CDN$85,000,000 in staged project expenditures. Under the first phase, Dundee has committed a minimum of CDN$30,000,000, inclusive of a fully funded 50,000m drill program and pre-feasibility work at Shovelnose. The agreement allows for the accelerated exploration and evaluation of one of Canada's most compelling, undeveloped, high-margin gold and silver assets.
Qualified Person
The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Robin Hopkins, P.Geo. (NT/NU), Vice President, Exploration for Westhaven and a Qualified Person for the Company under the definitions established by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
1 See Westhaven's news release entitled "Westhaven Announces Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Shovelnose Gold Project, British Columbia" and dated March 3, 2025.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF WESTHAVEN GOLD CORP.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and Westhaven does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Forward-looking statements in this news release may include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to completing approximately 50,000m of drilling during the year; completing an updated South Zone mineral resource estimate and the planned Pre-Feasibility Study; the results of the updated Preliminary Economic Assessment; future planned activities; future mineral production and future growth potential for the Company and its projects; the interpretation of preliminary results from exploration undertaken to date at the Shovelnose project using various exploration techniques and analysis; statements with respect to potential styles of epithermal mineralization at the Shovelnose Project; and, the possibility that the Company’s Shovelnose project may host multiple gold bearing epithermal systems.
In certain cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information.
Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the price of gold and other precious metals; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; the Company’s ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms.
Although management of Westhaven Gold Corp. have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information.
Such factors include, without limitation: the Company's dependence on one group of mineral projects; precious metals price volatility; regulatory, consent or permitting delays; risks relating to reliance on the Company's management team and outside contractors; risks regarding mineral resources and reserves; the Company's inability to obtain insurance to cover all risks, on a commercially reasonable basis or at all; currency fluctuations; risks regarding the failure to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; risks relating to project financing and equity issuances; risks and unknowns inherent in all mining projects, including the inaccuracy of reserves and resources, metallurgical recoveries and capital and operating costs of such projects; laws and regulations governing the environment, health and safety; operating or technical difficulties in connection with mining or development activities; employee relations, labour unrest or unavailability; the Company's interactions with surrounding communities; the speculative nature of exploration and development, including the risks of diminishing quantities or grades of reserves; stock market volatility; conflicts of interest among certain directors and officers; and the factors identified under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s management discussion and analysis.
Mineral exploration involves a high degree of risk and few properties, which are explored, are ultimately developed into producing mines. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements or information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.
Infographics accompanying this announcement are available at
Program milestone highlights company's ongoing commitment to education and community investment
, /PRNewswire/ -- Georgia Power announced today that its Learning Power program has reached a major milestone – engaging more than 1.5 million students across Georgia since 2011. The program provides free, curriculum-based resources on energy, economics, and environmental stewardship that support classroom learning and inspire future generations.
Georgia Power education team interacts with students. Celebrating 15 years in Georgia's classrooms, Learning Power delivers engaging, hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities and lessons for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, helping them understand how energy is generated, delivered and used while connecting those concepts to real-world applications. The program has reached more than 2,400 schools across 155 Georgia counties and supported more than 16,000 educators since inception.
"At Georgia Power, being a Citizen Wherever We Serve is more than a motto – it is a fundamental part of who we are," said Jonathan King, director of education and workforce development for Georgia Power. "This is an exciting milestone that underscores our commitment to investing in STEM education, advancing energy efficiency awareness, and preparing Georgia's future workforce. When students see how energy powers their lives and communities, they begin to imagine themselves in the careers that will help shape Georgia's future."
Georgia Power's dedicated education team plays a vital role in the program's success. With many team members bringing former classroom experience and deep community connections, they conduct an average of 2,700 classroom visits annually, delivering hands-on learning experiences tailored to the needs of schools across the state.
Learning Power also aligns curriculum and lessons with state standards, providing educators with easy-to-use tools that enhance instruction. Through partnerships across the state, the program ensures students from elementary through high school have access to meaningful educational experiences.
As Georgia grows, Georgia Power remains committed to supporting education initiatives that build awareness of energy, sustainability and career opportunities, helping to prepare a stronger, more informed future workforce. For more information about Georgia Power's Learning Power program, visit learningpower.org.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Wall Street often debates when the heavy capital spending cycle for artificial intelligence might peak. A common market narrative suggests cloud providers are approaching a digestion phase, where capital outlays stall so platforms can absorb existing capacity.
BIP Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm purchased 31,963 shares of the utilities provider’s stock, valued at approximately $3,059,000.
Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Evergreen Advisors LLC bought a new position in Southern during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Scarborough Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Southern in the 1st quarter worth approximately $25,000. Ankerstar Wealth LLC bought a new stake in shares of Southern in the 4th quarter worth approximately $25,000. Triumph Capital Management purchased a new position in shares of Southern during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Finally, Cornerstone Financial Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Southern during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Institutional investors own 64.10% of the company’s stock.
Southern Stock Up 0.0% Shares of SO stock opened at $92.83 on Friday. The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $94.69 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $94.31. Southern Company has a 52 week low of $83.80 and a 52 week high of $100.83. The stock has a market cap of $106.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.26, a PEG ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a quick ratio of 0.59, a current ratio of 0.79 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62.
Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.01 by $0.12. Southern had a net margin of 15.43% and a return on equity of 12.93%. The firm had revenue of $6.98 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $7.23 billion. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $0.79 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. Analysts predict that Southern Company will post 4.58 EPS for the current fiscal year.
Southern Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 17th will be given a dividend of $0.76 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 17th. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.3%. Southern’s payout ratio is 72.90%.
Analysts Set New Price Targets SO has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Barclays cut their price target on shares of Southern from $99.00 to $98.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, June 18th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Southern from $101.00 to $104.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 16th. BMO Capital Markets boosted their target price on Southern from $102.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, July 27th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Southern from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, August 1st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “underweight” rating on shares of Southern in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $100.09.
Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Southern
Southern Company Profile (Free Report)
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Southern’s principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.
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Key Takeaways Utilities are expanding rapidly as AI data centers drive a projected 100 GW of new power demand by 2030.ETFs like IDU offer diversified exposure to utilities benefiting from AI-driven power demand growth.Utilities like NextEra and AEP are scaling capacity through major investments and data center partnerships. The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution has an insatiable appetite — not just for data, but also for electricity. Data centers consumed a staggering 448 trillion watt-hours of electricity globally last year, exceeding the power consumption of all but 10 countries, according to a report by researchers at the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health.
As tech hyperscalers deploy massive clusters of high-performance GPUs, data center power requirements rise, driving electricity consumption sharply higher. According to many experts, this trend could contribute to a global energy crisis if demand exceeds supply.
The result? Utilities, which are responsible for generating and meeting the humongous energy demand from AI, are witnessing unprecedented growth opportunities. The sector, once viewed strictly as a steady, defensive dividend play, is now at the epicenter of one of the most compelling growth stories in the equity market, being morphed into high-growth infrastructure engines.
With industry watchers expecting utilities to spend as much as $240 billion in 2026 to meet AI power demand, the sector is undergoing its most significant expansion in decades.
Against this backdrop, for investors who are increasingly hesitant to buy direct AI technology stocks — which face intense valuation pressures, uncertain monetization timelines, and heavy price volatility — utilities offer a compelling alternative. Utilities provide exposure to the AI growth story while offering the stability of regulated returns and consistent dividends — creating a buffer against the wild swings seen in tech stocks over recent months.
This intersection of explosive growth and stability makes utility-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) a potent strategy for investors looking to benefit from the AI boom without the associated rollercoaster.
Before jumping directly into the specifics of these ETFs, one might want to understand which specific utilities are at the forefront of this multi-decade energy demand growth and what they are doing to scale capacity aggressively. This should help investors assess how AI-driven power demand is reshaping the long-term financial prospects of utilities and making utility ETFs an increasingly attractive strategic asset.
How Are Utilities Scaling Up?As the sheer scale of AI power requirements is creating localized energy crises, with forecasts calling for more than 100 gigawatts (GW) of new power demand from data centers through 2030, leading utilities are stepping up with aggressive expansion plans and direct tech collaborations, as one can find below:
NextEra Energy (NEE - Free Report) , the largest U.S. utility by market cap, is expanding aggressively, particularly after it announced the takeover of Dominion Energy (D - Free Report) for approximately $67 billion in May 2026. This was a strategic step by NEE to monopolize power generation in Virginia's "Data Center Alley," which handles a staggering percentage of global internet traffic.
In terms of collaborations with tech giants, the most notable ones include Alphabet’s (GOOGL - Free Report) signing of a 25-year power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy last year to revive the shuttered 615-megawatt Duane Arnold Energy Center in Iowa by 2029. In March 2026, NextEra Energy joined forces with NVIDIA (NVDA - Free Report) , Emerald AI, and other major energy providers and launched a strategic partnership to develop grid-flexible AI data centers.
Another prominent utility provider, Duke Energy (DUK - Free Report) , signed electric service agreements with data center customers covering 7.8 gigawatts (GW) of demand, with a further 15.4 GW in the "late-stage pipeline”, as of June 2026. 5.2 GW of these projects are already under construction. Last year, Amazon Web Services (“AWS”) announced a $10 billion investment to build a massive, 800-acre data center campus in Richmond County, NC, to scale its cloud computing and generative AI infrastructure, and DUK is set to provide power for this infrastructure.
Another utility major worth mentioning is American Electric Power (AEP - Free Report) , which recently expanded its five-year capital investment plan to $78 billion to accommodate massive power demands from AI and tech data centers. Roughly 90% of AEP's surging 63-GW pipeline of contracted capacity is tied directly to new data center customers across multiple states.
Utility ETFs to BuyThe massive capital expansions and tech-utility partnerships mentioned above underscore a permanent structural shift in how power is generated and monetized. For investors who would like to capitalize on this megatrend of AI power surge without taking on single-company execution risk, the most efficient and risk-managed way would be to add the following ETFs to their portfolios.
State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU - Free Report)
This fund, with assets under management (AUM) worth $22.80 billion, offers exposure to 31 companies from the electric utilities; water utilities; multi-utilities, independent power and renewable electricity producers; and gas utility industries. Of these, NEE holds the first position in this fund, accounting for 13.04% of its total assets, while Southern Company (SO - Free Report) ranks second with 7.60% weightage.
DUK holds the third spot in this fund with 7.02% weightage, while AEP ranks fifth with 4.94% weightage. D holds the sixth spot with 4.36% weightage.
XLU has rallied 2.9% over the past year and currently holds a Zacks ETF Rank #2 (Buy). The fund charges 8 basis points (bps) as fees and traded at a good volume of 17.85 million shares in the last trading session.
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares (VPU - Free Report)
This fund, with net assets worth $8.5 billion, offers exposure to 68 electric, gas, and water utilities as well as companies that operate as independent producers and/or distributors of power. Of these, NEE holds the first position in this fund, accounting for 11.06% of its total assets, while SO ranks second with 6.84% weightage.
DUK holds the third spot in this fund with 6.24% weightage, while AEP holds the fifth position with 4.71% weightage. D holds the seventh spot with 3.81% weightage.
VPU has gained 2.9% over the past year and currently holds a Zacks ETF Rank #2. The fund charges 9 bps as fees and traded at a volume of 0.18 million shares in the last trading session.
iShares U.S. Utilities ETF (IDU - Free Report)
This fund, with net assets worth $1.35 billion, offers exposure to 45 U.S. companies that supply electricity, gas and water. Of these, NEE holds the first position in this fund, accounting for 11.14% of its total assets, while SO ranks second with 6.49% weightage.
DUK holds the third spot in this fund with 5.98% weightage, while AEP holds the sixth position with 4.22% weightage. D ranks seventh with 3.72% weightage.
IDU has gained 2.6% over the past year and currently holds a Zacks ETF Rank #2. The fund charges 38 bps as fees and traded at a volume of 0.05 million shares in the last trading session.
Highlights Assay results reported for 17 drill holes comprising over 6,430m of infill drilling. Consistent, wide intercepts up to 831m in width, including a 244m interval @ 0.42% CuEq in HM155.
DUBLIN, Ireland, Aug. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fusion Fuel Green PLC (Nasdaq: HTOO) ("Fusion Fuel" or the "Company"), a leading provider of full-service energy engineering, advisory, and utility solutions, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bright Hydrogen Solutions Limited (“BrightHy Solutions”), has achieved execution milestones on two previously announced green hydrogen projects in southern Europe. BrightHy Solutions completed the Front-End Engineering Design ("FEED") package for the Hydrogen Production Unit at a previously announced 15 MW industrial green hydrogen production facility in southern Europe.
SummaryThe Southern Company is upgraded to Buy due to improved fundamentals and an attractive valuation.SO targets a 9% annual rate base growth through 2030, backed by $80B+ in capex and regulatory approvals.Allowed ROEs are robust, averaging 11% and reaching up to 14.5% in key markets, supporting strong earnings growth.With a 22.6x P/E, 3.3% dividend yield, and double-digit total return potential, SO now offers compelling long-term value.Looking for option income ideas that focus on capital preservation? I offer this and much more at my exclusive investing ideas service, Option Income Builder. Learn More » imaginima/iStock via Getty Images
A couple of years ago, I called The Southern Company (SO) - the second largest utility in the country - dead money.
In my initial article, I examined the company's earnings growth, valuation, and dividend yield and came
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Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of SO either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.
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Company recognizing importance of power plant workers in August during Generation Appreciation Month
, /PRNewswire/ -- August often includes some of the hottest days of summer, when energy demand is at its highest, and Georgia Power is committed to keeping power flowing when it matters most. Across the state, more than 1,100 power generation employees work around the clock to operate, maintain and support the company's diverse fleet of energy resources, helping keep power flowing to millions of homes and businesses. The company marks Generation Appreciation Month in August as a time to recognize the dedicated professionals who power Georgia every day, ensuring that families, businesses, and communities thrive, even during the most challenging conditions.
"When our customers flip the light switch or adjust their A/C systems to just the right temperature this summer, there are thousands of employees working hard to make that happen," said Rick Anderson, senior vice president and senior production officer at Georgia Power. "As Georgia grows, and the demand for electricity increases, we're working hard to ensure that we have the power plants, and people, we need to deliver reliable and affordable energy for customers around the clock. This Generation Appreciation Month, I'm grateful for the dedication of our teams at power plants of all types and sizes, and so very proud to lead them as they show up every day to serve our communities and neighbors."
Reliable Energy Begins at the Source
From running the power plant in a control room, to operation and maintenance of equipment such as turbines and boilers, to data analysis, to environmental compliance, to safety testing and much more, there are countless tasks every day that keep power plants in top condition to serve customers. Each aspect of operations is critical to reliability.
In 2025, the company's generation fleet helped keep reliability high with experienced teams at hydro, solar, battery energy storage, natural gas, nuclear and coal-fired generation plants managing plant operations and maintenance activities at a level of excellence well above industry standards. A way to measure non-nuclear generation reliability is through plant outage rate or "equivalent forced outage rate" (EFOR). Last year, Georgia Power's EFOR score was among the best in company history and among the best in the industry, with an outage rate of 1.67%.
This outstanding performance reflects the dedication, expertise and teamwork of generation employees, who work tirelessly to ensure energy remains reliable and available to millions of customers, even under the most challenging conditions.
Careers in Generation
Georgia Power is working with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC) to enhance and expand its diverse generation mix to serve a growing state. The company is adding thousands of megawatts of new generation including new natural gas, battery energy storage systems, solar, nuclear uprates, and investments in hydropower in the coming years at locations across the state. Those investments are creating new job opportunities across the company, and the company expects to hire nearly 250 full-time employees to support safe and reliable operations of the facilities. This buildout is also expected to support more than 3,000 construction jobs in the coming years.
To learn more about rewarding careers with Georgia Power, visit the careers website to get started.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
Southern Missouri Bancorp has grown tangible book value per share by more than $16 in four years, with shares up ~60% since 2022. Q2 results highlight strong net interest income growth, a low payout ratio (
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 5, 2026) - Eloro Resources Ltd. (TSX: ELO) (OTCQX: ELRRF) - Growing demand for silver across industrial, technology, and renewable energy applications is increasing attention on large-scale discoveries capable of supporting future supply. Eloro Resources is advancing a major silver and tin polymetallic discovery in southern Bolivia, where ongoing drilling is supporting resource expansion and future engineering studies. With plans to complete up to 50,000 metres of additional drilling, the company continues to advance one of Bolivia's most significant recent mineral discoveries while progressing toward the next stage of project development.
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Key Takeaways Southern's regulated model and stable base rates support earnings visibility through 2029.SO saw first-half weather-normal retail electricity sales rise 2.3% as data center demand surged.Southern raised its 2026 earnings outlook after stronger execution despite capital and funding risks. Southern Company (SO - Free Report) offers a defensive regulated utility model at a time when electricity demand across the Southeast is accelerating. Stable rates, customer additions and data center growth are supporting earnings visibility, while stronger execution has lifted the 2026 outlook.
The trade-off is valuation. Investors are paying a premium for dependable growth, leaving less room for construction setbacks, regulatory delays or higher financing costs.
Southern's Regulated Model Supports StabilitySouthern’s vertically integrated, state-regulated structure provides recurring electricity demand and a durable earnings base. Retail base rates at Georgia Power and Alabama Power are expected to remain stable through 2029, which supports customer affordability and reduces near-term rate uncertainty.
The company’s recession-resistant profile and expanding customer base add defensive appeal. Duke Energy (DUK - Free Report) offers a similar regulated utility framework across growing jurisdictions, while Dominion Energy (D - Free Report) also relies heavily on regulated electricity and natural gas operations. Southern’s Southeast footprint distinguishes it through stronger large-load demand.
SO's Demand Growth Strengthens the Earnings CaseWeather-normal retail electricity sales increased 2.3% in the first half of 2026, the strongest first-half growth in nearly two decades. Continued residential customer additions and diverse industrial activity helped broaden the demand base.
Data center usage rose 49% year over year, and systemwide data center load exceeded 1.2 gigawatts. More than 17 gigawatts of large-load demand is under contract for the mid-2030s, supporting a longer runway for generation, transmission and rate-base investment.
Southern's Valuation Leaves Less Room for ErrorSouthern trades at a trailing enterprise value-to-earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization multiple of 12.49. That is slightly below its five-year median of 12.79 and within the five-year range of 11.76 to 14.64, suggesting the multiple is not extreme relative to its own history.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
The forward price-to-earnings ratio of about 20.4 and PEG ratio of 6.4 are less forgiving. Those measures indicate that investors already assign considerable value to the company’s stability and expected growth, limiting upside if execution falls short.
SO Faces Heavy Funding and Execution RisksLong-term debt reached $68.8 billion at June 30, 2026, up from $65.6 billion at year-end 2025. Higher debt balances have raised interest expense, and the capital program still depends on continued access to debt and equity markets despite support from low-cost Department of Energy loans.
Construction inflation, equipment delays, contractor performance and regulatory recovery remain key risks. Environmental obligations and recurring wind-repowering charges could also pressure reported earnings and financial flexibility as Southern expands generation and transmission capacity.
Southern's Earnings Outlook Supports PatienceSecond-quarter adjusted earnings rose to $1.13 per share from 92 cents a year earlier and exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.01. First-half adjusted earnings reached $2.46 per share, reflecting regulated investment, customer usage and growth, equity-method earnings and tax benefits.
Image Source: The Southern Company
Management now expects full-year adjusted earnings near or at the top of its $4.50-$4.60 range. The execution is encouraging, but second-quarter revenues of $6.98 billion missed the consensus mark, underscoring the capital intensity and uneven revenue contribution behind the growth plan.
SO's Mixed Signals Favor a Measured StanceSouthern’s operating momentum and regulated earnings base support holding the stock, but the current valuation does not offer a wide margin of safety. New buyers may be better served by waiting for a more attractive entry point rather than paying fully for expected growth.
The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Its VGM Score of B and Momentum Score of A are constructive, while the Value Score of C and Growth Score of C signal a more balanced profile. Together, these indicators favor a measured stance rather than an aggressively bullish position. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Key Takeaways Southern Company expects full-year adjusted EPS near or at the top of its $4.50-$4.60 guided range.SO reported commercial electricity sales increased 7.4% in the quarter on a weather-normal basis.SO said its prospective large-load pipeline remained above 75 GW with over 12 GW under construction. Power supplier The Southern Company (SO - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.13 per share, up 22.8% from 92 cents a year earlier. The figure beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.01 per share by 11.88%, supported by customer usage and growth, utility investment, equity-method earnings and lower income taxes.
Operating revenues edged up 0.1% year over year to $6.98 billion but missed the consensus mark of $7.36 billion by 5.18%. Data center usage jumped 55% as large-load customers continued to ramp demand.
SO Benefits From Stronger Electricity DemandWeather-normal retail electricity sales increased 2.3% year over year in the first half of 2026, marking the strongest growth through June in nearly two decades. Commercial sales rose 7.4% in the quarter, while industrial volumes were flat after weather adjustment.
Residential sales declined 0.7% on a weather-normal basis in the quarter, though Southern added about 11,000 electric residential customers. Net electric customer additions exceeded 40,000 over the past year, helping offset softer household usage.
Southern Company Revenue Mix Shows Limited GrowthRetail electric fuel revenues fell $76 million year over year to $1.06 billion, while non-fuel retail electric revenues increased $63 million to $3.68 billion. Wholesale electric revenues advanced $18 million to $699 million and other electric revenues rose $22 million to $242 million.
Natural gas revenues declined $13 million to $966 million, while other revenues decreased $10 million to $325 million. The mixed revenue performance left total operating revenues nearly unchanged from the prior-year quarter.
SO Controls Costs as Depreciation RisesTotal operating expenses declined $8 million to $5.20 billion. Fuel and purchased-power costs fell $34 million and the cost of natural gas dropped $78 million. These benefits were partly offset by a $111 million increase in depreciation and amortization and a $20 million rise in non-fuel operations and maintenance expenses.
Operating income increased $12 million to $1.78 billion. Allowance for equity funds used during construction rose $48 million, while earnings from equity-method investments increased $76 million. Income tax expense declined $102 million, helping lift net income attributable to Southern Company to $1.17 billion from $880 million.
Southern Company Expands Large-Load CommitmentsSouthern added about 6 gigawatts of large-load contracts since its first-quarter call, bringing total contracted demand to 17 gigawatts across 31 projects. Another 8 gigawatts were in late-stage or finalizing phases, including 3 gigawatts expected to be completed in the near term.
Data center system load exceeded 1.2 gigawatts, up more than 500 megawatts from a year earlier. The company’s prospective large-load pipeline remained above 75 gigawatts, while more than 12 gigawatts of contracted projects had begun construction.
SO Advances Generation and Financing PlansThe company has 10 gigawatts of state-regulated, company-owned generation resources under construction, including thermal, battery storage and solar capacity. Active requests for proposals in Alabama and Georgia are intended to address additional needs in the early 2030s, though potential investments from those processes are not included in the current capital plan.
Southern sourced $700 million of additional equity through at-the-market forward contracts during the quarter. This reduced its remaining projected equity need through 2030 to $1.1 billion, while management continued to target funds from operations to debt of about 17% by 2029.
Southern Company Sees Earnings Near Guidance High EndThis Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company now expects full-year 2026 adjusted earnings to be near or at the top of its $4.50-$4.60 per share guided range. Adjusted earnings for the first half reached $2.46 per share, compared with $2.15 in the prior-year period. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
For the third quarter, Southern projects adjusted earnings of $1.65 per share. Management expects customer growth, rising electricity sales and continued execution across regulated utilities and Southern Power to support performance in the second half.
Some Key Utility EarningsWhile we have discussed Southern’s second-quarter results in detail, let’s see how some other utilities have fared this earnings season.
Exelon Corporation (EXC - Free Report) posted second-quarter 2026 adjusted operating earnings of 43 cents per share, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Earnings increased 10.3% from 39 cents in the year-ago quarter. Higher distribution and transmission rates across several utilities supported the improvement. Revenues totaled $5.97 billion, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $5.66 billion by 5.46%.
Exelon generated $3.67 billion in operating cash flow during the first six months of 2026, up from $2.71 billion in the year-ago period. As of June 30, 2026, long-term debt was $50.31 billion compared with $47.41 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025.
American Water Works Company Inc. (AWK - Free Report) posted second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.61 per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.59 by 1.3%. The bottom line increased 8.1% from $1.49 in the year-ago quarter. Earnings benefited from contributions coming from authorized rate increases, infrastructure investments and acquired operations. Revenues of $1.36 billion surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.28 billion by 6.2% and rose 6.2% year over year.
Cash and cash equivalents totaled $191 million as of June 30, 2026, up from $98 million at the end of 2025. American Water reaffirmed adjusted earnings guidance of $6.02-$6.12 per share for 2026. Management also maintained its long-term earnings and dividend growth targets of 7-9%.
IDACORP, Inc. (IDA - Free Report) reported second-quarter 2026 earnings of $1.79 per share, which topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.75 by 2.3%. The company’s earnings also improved 1.7% from $1.76 in the year-ago quarter. The year-over-year improvement was due to customer growth, rate changes and revenues from large contract customers. Total revenues in the second quarter of 2026 were $469.8 million, lagging the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $478 million by 1.8%.
The long-term debt was $3.68 billion as of June 30, 2026, compared with $3.33 billion as of Dec. 31, 2025. IDACORP raised the lower end of its 2026 earnings guidance to $6.30-$6.45 per share from the previous range of $6.25-$6.45. IDA projects a capital expenditure of $1.3-$1.5 billion for 2026.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Power, a leading U.S. wholesale energy provider and subsidiary of Southern Company, today announced that the Southern Power Foundation recently distributed a grant to the Haskell Volunteer Fire Department in Haskell County, Texas.
Located near Southern Power's Millers Branch Solar Facility, the fire department used the funds to outfit a quick response brush truck, which will improve the group's ability to quickly respond to emergencies across the county.
"Since our founding in 2001, Southern Power has proudly served the people and communities across our footprint, and the Southern Power Foundation provides a formal framework to continue and strengthen that commitment," said Robin Boren, Southern Power president. "I can't think of a more fitting way to celebrate our company's twenty-fifth anniversary than to continue leveraging our Foundation to support communities across our footprint."
The truck is equipped with a high‑capacity pump system and remote‑controlled nozzles that allow firefighters to quickly suppress fires without leaving the cab. It also features specialized tools such as a front-mounted winch for rescue and recovery operations, along with enhanced lighting to support safe and effective response in a variety of emergency conditions.
"As one of the primary response services in our area, our community depends on our ability to respond immediately when called upon for help," said Casey Moeller, Haskell County fire chief. "As a volunteer organization, maintaining upgraded resources is often one of our greatest challenges. The Foundation's gift immediately addresses this area of concern, and we're incredibly grateful for their generosity."
The Southern Power Foundation supports educational, environmental and community-based initiatives with the goal of being a citizen wherever the company serves.
About Southern Power
Southern Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company, is a leading U.S. wholesale energy provider meeting the electricity needs of municipalities, electric cooperatives, investor-owned utilities and other energy customers. Southern Power and its subsidiaries, some of which are owned in part with various partners, own or operate 55 facilities operating or under development in 15 states with more than 13,150 MW of generating capacity in Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success, driven by nearly 30,000 employees dedicated to delivering exceptional service. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.
Vancouver, British Columbia and Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 4, 2026) - Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (TSX: SXGC) (ASX: SX2) (OTCQX: SXGCF) (FSE: MV3) ("SXGC", "SX2" or the "Company") announces an updated Exploration Target for the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project in Victoria, Australia (Figures 1 and 2). HIGHLIGHTS The estimated range of potential mineralization for the Exploration Target is (also see Table 1): 10.4 – 11.9 million tonnes grading from 8.9 g/t gold equivalent (“AuEq”) to 12.1 g/t AuEq for:3.0 Moz AuEq to 4.6 Moz AuEq The potential quantity and grade of the Exploration Target is conceptual in nature and therefore is an approximation.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company (NYSE: SO) today announced the pricing of $725 million in aggregate principal amount of its Series 2026A 2.125% Convertible Senior Notes due December 15, 2027 (the "Series 2026A Convertible Notes") and $1.65 billion in aggregate principal amount of its Series 2026B 3.50% Convertible Senior Notes due September 15, 2029 (the "Series 2026B Convertible Notes" and, together with the Series 2026A Convertible Notes, the "Convertible Notes") in private placements to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), reflecting upsizes of $75 million and $150 million over the previously announced offering sizes for the Series 2026A Convertible Notes and the Series 2026B Convertible Notes, respectively. In addition, Southern Company granted the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes options to purchase, for settlement within a period of 13 days from, and including, the date the Convertible Notes are first issued, up to an additional $108.75 million in aggregate principal amount of the Series 2026A Convertible Notes and an additional $247.5 million in aggregate principal amount of the Series 2026B Convertible Notes. The offerings are expected to close on August 6, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.
Interest on the Convertible Notes will be paid semiannually at a rate of 2.125% per annum (in the case of the Series 2026A Convertible Notes) and 3.50% per annum (in the case of the Series 2026B Convertible Notes). The Series 2026A Convertible Notes will have an initial conversion rate of 9.5641 shares of Southern Company's common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Series 2026A Convertible Notes (which is equal to an initial conversion price of approximately $104.56 per share of common stock), representing an initial conversion premium of approximately 12.5% above the last reported sale price of Southern Company's common stock on August 3, 2026. The Series 2026B Convertible Notes will have an initial conversion rate of 8.4389 shares of Southern Company's common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Series 2026B Convertible Notes (which is equal to an initial conversion price of approximately $118.50 per share of common stock), representing an initial conversion premium of approximately 27.5% above the last reported sale price of Southern Company's common stock on August 3, 2026. These conversion rates are subject to adjustment in certain circumstances. The Convertible Notes will mature on December 15, 2027 (in the case of the Series 2026A Convertible Notes) and September 15, 2029 (in the case of the Series 2026B Convertible Notes), unless earlier repurchased or converted in accordance with their terms.
Prior to September 15, 2027 (in the case of the Series 2026A Convertible Notes) or June 15, 2029 (in the case of the Series 2026B Convertible Notes), the Convertible Notes will be convertible only upon the occurrence of certain events and during certain periods. From and after September 15, 2027 (in the case of the Series 2026A Convertible Notes) or June 15, 2029 (in the case of the Series 2026B Convertible Notes), the Convertible Notes will be convertible at any time until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date of the applicable series of Convertible Notes. Upon conversion, Southern Company will pay cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes of the applicable series to be converted and pay or deliver, as the case may be, cash, shares of Southern Company's common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of common stock, at Southern Company's election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of Southern Company's conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes of the applicable series being converted.
Southern Company estimates that the net proceeds from the offering of the Series 2026A Convertible Notes will be approximately $721 million (or approximately $829 million if the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Series 2026A Convertible Notes in full), after deducting estimated initial purchasers' discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by Southern Company. Southern Company estimates that the net proceeds from the offering of the Series 2026B Convertible Notes will be approximately $1.63 billion (or approximately $1.88 billion if the initial purchasers exercise their option to purchase additional Series 2026B Convertible Notes in full), after deducting estimated initial purchasers' discounts and estimated offering expenses payable by Southern Company. Southern Company intends to use approximately $403 million of the net proceeds from these offerings to repurchase approximately $369 million aggregate principal amount of its Series 2024A 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes due June 15, 2027 (the "Series 2024A Convertible Notes") through individually negotiated transactions with a limited number of holders thereof (each, a "note repurchase transaction"), effected through one of the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes or its affiliate. Southern Company intends to use the remaining net proceeds to repay all or a portion of its outstanding short-term debt and for other general corporate purposes, which may include investment in its subsidiaries.
Contemporaneously with the pricing of the Convertible Notes, Southern Company entered into separate and privately negotiated transactions with a limited number of holders of the Series 2024A Convertible Notes to use a portion of the proceeds of the offerings to repurchase a portion of the Series 2024A Convertible Notes, as described above, on terms negotiated with each such holder. The terms of each note repurchase transaction were individually negotiated with each such holder of the Series 2024A Convertible Notes and depended on several factors, including the market price of Southern Company's common stock and the trading price of the Series 2024A Convertible Notes at the time of each such note repurchase. Southern Company may also repurchase outstanding Series 2024A Convertible Notes following the completion of the offerings of the Convertible Notes. No assurance can be given as to how much, if any, of the Series 2024A Convertible Notes will be repurchased following the completion of the offerings or the terms on which they will be repurchased.
Southern Company expects that holders of the Series 2024A Convertible Notes that sell their Series 2024A Convertible Notes to Southern Company in any note repurchase transaction may enter into or unwind various derivatives with respect to Southern Company's common stock and/or purchase or sell shares of Southern Company's common stock in the market to hedge their exposure in connection with these transactions. In particular, Southern Company expects that many holders of the Series 2024A Convertible Notes employ a convertible arbitrage strategy with respect to the Series 2024A Convertible Notes and have a short position with respect to Southern Company's common stock that they would close, through purchases of Southern Company's common stock and/or the entry into or unwind of economically equivalent derivatives transactions with respect to Southern Company's common stock, in connection with Southern Company's repurchase of their Series 2024A Convertible Notes for cash. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of Southern Company's common stock or the Convertible Notes at that time and could result in higher effective conversion prices for the Convertible Notes.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The offer and sale of the Convertible Notes and the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes, if any, have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the Convertible Notes and such shares of common stock may not be offered or sold without registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy distribution company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services.
Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning the closing of the offerings of the Convertible Notes, the expected use of proceeds from the offerings and the note repurchase transactions. Southern Company cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Southern Company; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Southern Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2026 and June 30, 2026 and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: global and U.S. economic conditions, including impacts from geopolitical conflicts, recession, inflation, changes in trade policies (including tariffs and other trade measures) of the United States and other countries, interest rate fluctuations and financial market conditions, and the results of financing efforts; access to capital markets and other financing sources; changes in Southern Company's credit ratings; and catastrophic events such as fires, including wildfires, land movement, earthquakes, explosions, floods, high winds, tornadoes, hurricanes and other storms, solar flares, droughts, future epidemic or pandemic health events, wars, political unrest or other similar occurrences. Southern Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward‐looking information.
, /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Company (NYSE: SO) today announced offerings of $650 million in aggregate principal amount of its convertible senior notes due December 15, 2027 (the "2027 Convertible Notes") and $1.5 billion in aggregate principal amount of its convertible senior notes due September 15, 2029 (the "2029 Convertible Notes" and, together with the 2027 Convertible Notes, the "Convertible Notes") in private placements to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). In addition, Southern Company expects to grant the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes options to purchase, for settlement within a period of 13 days from, and including, the date the Convertible Notes are first issued, up to an additional $97.5 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2027 Convertible Notes and up to an additional $225 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2029 Convertible Notes.
Final terms of each series of Convertible Notes, including the initial conversion price, interest rate and certain other terms of the Convertible Notes, will be determined at the time of pricing. The Convertible Notes will be senior, unsecured obligations of Southern Company. Interest on the Convertible Notes will be paid semiannually. The Convertible Notes will mature on December 15, 2027 (in the case of the 2027 Convertible Notes) and September 15, 2029 (in the case of the 2029 Convertible Notes), unless earlier repurchased or converted in accordance with their terms.
Prior to September 15, 2027 (in the case of the 2027 Convertible Notes) or June 15, 2029 (in the case of the 2029 Convertible Notes), the Convertible Notes will be convertible only upon the occurrence of certain events and during certain periods. From and after September 15, 2027 (in the case of the 2027 Convertible Notes) or June 15, 2029 (in the case of the 2029 Convertible Notes), the Convertible Notes will be convertible at any time until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately preceding the maturity date of the applicable series of the Convertible Notes. Upon conversion, Southern Company will pay cash up to the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes of the applicable series to be converted and pay or deliver, as the case may be, cash, shares of Southern Company's common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of common stock, at Southern Company's election, in respect of the remainder, if any, of Southern Company's conversion obligation in excess of the aggregate principal amount of the Convertible Notes of the applicable series being converted.
Southern Company intends to use a portion of the net proceeds from these offerings to repurchase a portion of its Series 2024A 4.50% Convertible Senior Notes due June 15, 2027 (the "Series 2024A Convertible Notes") and its Series 2025A 3.25% Convertible Senior Notes due June 15, 2028 (together with the Series 2024A Convertible Notes, the "Existing Convertible Notes"), in each case through individually negotiated transactions with a limited number of holders thereof (each, a "note repurchase transaction"), effected through one of the initial purchasers of the Convertible Notes or its affiliate. Southern Company intends to use any remaining net proceeds to repay all or a portion of its outstanding short-term debt and for other general corporate purposes, which may include investment in its subsidiaries.
Contemporaneously with the pricing of the Convertible Notes, Southern Company expects to enter into one or more separate and privately negotiated transactions with a limited number of holders of the Existing Convertible Notes to use a portion of the proceeds of the offerings to repurchase a portion of the Existing Convertible Notes on terms to be negotiated with each such holder. The terms of each note repurchase transaction are anticipated to be individually negotiated with each such holder of the Existing Convertible Notes and will depend on several factors, including the market price of Southern Company's common stock and the trading price of the applicable Existing Convertible Notes at the time of each such note repurchase transaction. Southern Company may also repurchase outstanding Existing Convertible Notes following the completion of the offerings of the Convertible Notes. No assurance can be given as to how much, if any, of the Existing Convertible Notes will be repurchased or the terms on which they will be repurchased.
Southern Company expects that holders of the Existing Convertible Notes that sell their Existing Convertible Notes to Southern Company in any note repurchase transaction may enter into or unwind various derivatives with respect to Southern Company's common stock and/or purchase or sell shares of Southern Company's common stock in the market to hedge their exposure in connection with these transactions. In particular, Southern Company expects that many holders of the Existing Convertible Notes employ a convertible arbitrage strategy with respect to the Existing Convertible Notes and have a short position with respect to Southern Company's common stock that they would close, through purchases of Southern Company's common stock and/or the entry into or unwind of economically equivalent derivatives transactions with respect to Southern Company's common stock, in connection with Southern Company's repurchase of their Existing Convertible Notes for cash. This activity could increase (or reduce the size of any decrease in) the market price of Southern Company's common stock or the Convertible Notes at that time and could result in higher effective conversion prices for the Convertible Notes.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The offer and sale of the Convertible Notes and the shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes, if any, have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and the Convertible Notes and such shares of common stock may not be offered or sold without registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy distribution company with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services.
Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning the planned offerings of the Convertible Notes, the expected use of proceeds from the offerings and the note repurchase transactions. Southern Company cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Southern Company; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Southern Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2026 and June 30, 2026 and subsequent securities filings, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: global and U.S. economic conditions, including impacts from geopolitical conflicts, recession, inflation, changes in trade policies (including tariffs and other trade measures) of the United States and other countries, interest rate fluctuations and financial market conditions, and the results of financing efforts; access to capital markets and other financing sources; changes in Southern Company's credit ratings; and catastrophic events such as fires, including wildfires, land movement, earthquakes, explosions, floods, high winds, tornadoes, hurricanes and other storms, solar flares, droughts, future epidemic or pandemic health events, wars, political unrest or other similar occurrences. Southern Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward‐looking information.
Bank of America Corp DE lifted its holdings in shares of Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report) by 4.9% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,380,592 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 392,210 shares during the quarter. Bank of America Corp DE owned approximately 0.74% of Southern worth $808,895,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.
A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of SO. Empowered Funds LLC lifted its position in shares of Southern by 17.5% in the first quarter. Empowered Funds LLC now owns 34,003 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $3,127,000 after buying an additional 5,067 shares during the last quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. increased its holdings in shares of Southern by 0.7% during the 2nd quarter. Schnieders Capital Management LLC. now owns 59,217 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $5,438,000 after acquiring an additional 393 shares during the last quarter. WINTON GROUP Ltd bought a new position in shares of Southern in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $655,000. Sei Investments Co. lifted its holdings in Southern by 11.5% in the 2nd quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 449,960 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $41,320,000 after purchasing an additional 46,504 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Treasurer of the State of North Carolina lifted its holdings in Southern by 2.7% in the 2nd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 514,736 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $47,268,000 after purchasing an additional 13,392 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 64.10% of the company’s stock.
More Southern News Here are the key news stories impacting Southern this week:
Positive Sentiment: Second-quarter earnings beat expectations: Southern reported adjusted EPS of $1.13, above the $1.01 analyst consensus and up from $0.91 a year earlier. The company’s reported earnings were $1.2 billion, or $1.03 per share, compared with $0.9 billion, or $0.80 per share, in the prior-year quarter. Southern Co. Beats Q2 Earnings Estimates Southern Company Reports Second-Quarter 2026 Earnings Positive Sentiment: Capacity expansion is positioning the utility for load growth: Georgia Power is developing nearly 1,500 megawatts of new natural-gas generation and 500 megawatts of battery storage at Plant Bowen. The projects could support reliability and future demand from industrial customers and data centers, although they also require substantial capital investment. Georgia Power and Officials Celebrate Plant Bowen Investments Positive Sentiment: Energy-storage and AI demand provide longer-term catalysts: Georgia Power completed the Moody Battery Energy Storage System, expanding Southern’s regulated storage platform. Analysts also point to large-load contracts and a reported 25-year OpenAI power agreement as potential drivers of future utility demand. Southern Completes Moody Battery Project Southern Company AI Data Center Opportunity Neutral Sentiment: Revenue growth remained weak: Quarterly revenue was $6.98 billion, below the $7.23 billion consensus and up only 0.1% year over year, tempering the significance of the EPS beat. Southern Q2 Key Metrics Versus Estimates Negative Sentiment: Near-term guidance was slightly cautious: Third-quarter EPS guidance of $1.65 was below the $1.67 consensus, while the $4.50–$4.60 full-year 2026 range brackets but centers below the $4.57 estimate. The 2028 range of $5.25–$5.45, however, is at least in line with current expectations. Analyst Ratings Changes A number of brokerages have recently weighed in on SO. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price objective on shares of Southern from $101.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 16th. Seaport Research Partners lowered shares of Southern from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Monday, April 20th. Raymond James Financial reiterated an “outperform” rating and issued a $104.00 target price on shares of Southern in a report on Friday, May 1st. Barclays decreased their price target on shares of Southern from $99.00 to $98.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, June 18th. Finally, Truist Financial decreased their target price on Southern from $103.00 to $100.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 29th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, eleven have given a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $100.26.
Get Our Latest Analysis on SO
Southern Stock Up 0.5% Shares of SO opened at $94.79 on Friday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $94.59 and a 200-day simple moving average of $94.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $106.86 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.73, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.34. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.62, a quick ratio of 0.45 and a current ratio of 0.79. Southern Company has a 52 week low of $83.80 and a 52 week high of $100.83.
Southern (NYSE:SO – Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The utilities provider reported $1.13 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.01 by $0.12. Southern had a return on equity of 12.93% and a net margin of 15.43%.The firm had revenue of $6.98 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $7.23 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.79 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up .1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts expect that Southern Company will post 4.58 earnings per share for the current year.
Southern Announces Dividend The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 8th. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 17th will be paid a dividend of $0.76 per share. The ex-dividend date is Monday, August 17th. This represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 3.2%. Southern’s payout ratio is currently 72.90%.
Southern Company Profile (Free Report)
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Southern’s principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.
See Also Five stocks we like better than Southern Chevron’s Strong Quarter Shows Why It Still Leads the Energy Sector Amazon’s Earnings Beat Shows Why AWS Is Back at the Center of the Bull Case Apple’s Record Quarter Could Not Outrun Its Guidance Problem McKesson’s Compounding Keeps Adding Up Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Southern Company (The) (NYSE:SO – Free Report).
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Sony Is Going All-Digital—But Investors Should Watch This InsteadSouthern NYSE: SO reported second-quarter 2026 adjusted earnings of $1.13 per share, up $0.21 from the prior-year period and $0.13 above the company’s estimate, as higher electricity usage, customer growth and construction-related earnings supported results.
Chief Financial Officer David Poroch said first-half adjusted earnings totaled $2.46 per share, above the company’s year-to-date expectations. Southern now expects full-year adjusted earnings to be near or at the top of its $4.50 to $4.60 per-share guidance range and provided a third-quarter adjusted EPS estimate of $1.65.
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Large-load contracts drive growth outlook Microsoft’s Xbox Problem Is Bigger Than a Console WarChairman, President and CEO Chris Womack said economic-development activity and power demand across the Southeast remained strong, particularly from data centers and other large-load customers.
During the quarter, Alabama Power added roughly 3 gigawatts through three projects, while Georgia Power signed a 25-year, 3.2-gigawatt electric-service agreement with OpenAI for a site near Savannah, Georgia. The OpenAI project is expected to begin taking service in phases beginning in 2028 and includes 1 gigawatt of flexible demand response.
How the Memory Shortage Is Crushing the Gaming IndustryWomack said the four projects together represent 6 gigawatts of newly contracted load. Including prior agreements, Southern’s electric subsidiaries now have more than 17 gigawatts of contracts and large-load agreements expected by the mid-2030s.
The company’s prospective pipeline of large industrial and data-center projects remains above 75 gigawatts. Beyond the 17 gigawatts already contracted, Southern identified another 8 gigawatts of projects in late stages, including 3 gigawatts it expects could be finalized in the near term. Poroch said several of those prospective projects are likely to start ramping in 2028 and continue into the next decade.
Southern’s systemwide data-center load exceeded 1.2 gigawatts during the quarter, an increase of more than 500 megawatts from a year earlier. Data-center usage rose 55% from the second quarter of 2025 and was up 49% year to date, according to Poroch.
Retail sales and customer additions increase Weather-normalized retail electricity sales increased 2.3% in the first half from the same period last year, which Poroch said was the company’s strongest sales growth through June in nearly two decades. Sales increased across residential, commercial and industrial customer classes.
Southern added approximately 11,000 residential electric customers during the second quarter, bringing net electric customer additions to more than 40,000 over the past year. Weather-normalized commercial sales rose 7.4% in the second quarter and were 6% higher year to date.
The company cited manufacturing and reshoring activity in Alabama, including primary metals, stone, clay, glass and pipeline-related segments, as contributors to industrial demand. Announcements in Southern’s electric territories during the quarter represented nearly $14 billion in investment and more than 3,000 jobs, led by data-center facilities in Alabama and an Amazon warehouse in Georgia, Poroch said.
Generation needs could create investment opportunities Southern said it has received approvals in recent years for 10 gigawatts of company-owned generation resources, including thermal, battery and solar assets, as well as hundreds of miles of transmission lines. Two battery sites are in service, while work continues on three combustion turbines at Plant Gaston.
Requests for proposals are underway at Alabama Power and Georgia Power for additional generation resources needed in the early 2030s. Poroch said any company-owned projects selected through the processes and approved by state public service commissions would represent incremental investment beyond Southern’s current capital plan.
Poroch said a rough rule of thumb for new generation capacity could be “about $2 billion or so” per gigawatt, covering a range of generation resources. He said spending related to potential projects could begin to enter the company’s projections around 2028, with assets potentially coming online in 2031 or 2032.
Southern also sees potential to expand investments in FERC-regulated pipeline infrastructure as electricity demand and potential gas-generation needs rise across the Southeast.
Rate protections and financing plans Womack said Southern’s large-load agreements include minimum bills designed to recover at least 100% of the incremental cost to serve customers, along with termination-payment provisions and collateral requirements. He said the structure is intended to protect existing customers and investors while supporting rate stability.
Retail base rates at Southern’s two largest subsidiaries, Georgia Power and Alabama Power, are set to remain stable until 2029, according to the company. Womack said the OpenAI project’s demand-response capability can help reduce peak demand and benefit the broader system.
On financing, Poroch said Southern sourced an additional $700 million of equity through its at-the-market program during the second quarter, using forward contracts that can settle through 2028. The company said its projected remaining equity need through 2030 has declined to $1.1 billion and reiterated its goal of reaching roughly 17% funds from operations to debt by 2029.
Southern Power is also discussing opportunities to recontract assets as existing tolling arrangements expire. Womack said potential new agreements would involve energy and capacity under long-term power-purchase agreements rather than typical tolling structures.
About Southern (NYSE:SO)Southern Company NYSE: SO is an Atlanta-based energy holding company that provides electric and gas utility services and owns power generation assets across the United States. Founded in 1945, the company operates a portfolio of regulated electric utilities and affiliated businesses that generate, transmit and distribute electricity to residential, commercial and industrial customers.
Southern's principal regulated electric subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power, which serve large portions of the southeastern United States.
This instant news alert was generated by narrative science technology and financial data from MarketBeat in order to provide readers with the fastest reporting and unbiased coverage. Please send any questions or comments about this story to [email protected].
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Northwest Georgia power plant has served customers since 1971;
Investments in efficiency and technology include advanced air emissions controls and beneficial reuse of coal ash;
Company building new natural gas units totaling nearly 1,500 MW and 500 MW of battery energy storage
, /PRNewswire/ -- Since bringing the first unit online in 1971, Plant Bowen has been an essential piece of Georgia Power's diverse generation mix, providing reliable energy for the state as it has grown over the decades, and it has become one of the most advanced coal-fired power plants in the world. Leaders from Georgia Power this week joined the Department of Energy (DOE), as well as elected officials and community leaders, to celebrate the legacy of the plant, as well as the exciting improvements planned and underway as the company reinvests and expands operations at the plant to meet Georgia's growing energy needs. During a ceremony on Tuesday at the plant, the company marked the start of construction of two new combined-cycle natural gas units which will add nearly 1,500 megawatts (MW) of reliable generation. Georgia Power also highlighted its broader investments at Plant Bowen, including a new 500 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) as part of the company's strategy to meet Georgia's growing electricity demand.
Southern Company and Georgia Power host the Department of Energy, as well as elected officials and community leaders, to celebrate the future of Plant Bowen on July 28, 2026 at the plant near Euharlee, Ga. The power plant, which has served Georgia since 1971, is being expanded with new natural gas generation and battery energy storage systems. The new investments at Plant Bowen are part of Georgia Power's plan to meet increased demand for electricity in the coming years through projects and programs approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC). As the company builds the energy infrastructure needed for a growing state, it remains focused on lowering rates and keeping energy costs stable and predictable. As part of this strategy, in February, Southern Company and the Department of Energy's Office of Energy Dominance Financing announced an up to $26.5 billion loan package to support eligible projects across Georgia and Alabama, including investments in reliable generation, transmission, and grid modernization. The loan guarantee supports projects selected through DOE's financing review process to strengthen America's energy infrastructure while delivering affordable, reliable, and secure energy for the American people. Over the approximately 30-year term of the loans, customers are expected to realize an estimated $7.3 billion in electricity savings.
"For more than 50 years, Plant Bowen has been about more than just megawatts – it has been a source of pride and a cornerstone of the Northwest Georgia community, providing high-quality careers and a positive economic force for this entire region," said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power at the event. "As we celebrate the new investments we're making to serve our customers across the state, and the future of this incredible plant alongside our partners from the Department of Energy and many local, state, and federal officials, we remain committed to making growth work for our customers with higher reliability and lower rates. I'm excited for what comes next at Plant Bowen, and for our entire state, as we continue to work together for a better Georgia for the next generation."
With the approval of the Georgia PSC, Georgia Power continues to expand its diverse generation mix to serve customers and meet growing energy demand with the addition of new natural gas generation, battery energy storage, nuclear uprates, investments in hydropower, as well as transmission system improvements and grid enhancements across the state. In addition to the new units at Plant Bowen, additional natural gas generation projects are planned or underway at sites such as Plant Wansley, Plant McIntosh and Plant Yates, with thousands of megawatts of additional battery energy storage systems also under development, and more than 1,000 miles of new transmission lines planned in the coming years across the state.
Most recently, Georgia Power announced the completion of the Moody Battery Facility, located just outside of Valdosta, Ga., capable of 49.5 MW of battery storage, which can be deployed back to the grid over a four-hour period. This flexible energy storage system matches the output of the nearby Moody solar facility and adds resiliency to the state's power grid. Read more here.
Plant Bowen – as well as Plant Scherer near Juliette, Ga. – are among the most advanced coal-fired power plants in the world, with Georgia Power investing billions of dollars over the decades to reduce emissions and comply with environmental regulations. In recent years, the company has added state-of-the-art technology to reduce the environmental footprint of those facilities such as scrubbers, selective catalytic reduction systems and baghouses. This investment has resulted in reductions in main air emissions by more than 95% over the past few decades.
Additionally, Georgia Power continues to research new and innovative ways to reuse coal ash that are beneficial for customers and communities. The company currently recycles 85% of all ash and gypsum, including more than 90% of fly ash, which it produces from operations for various beneficial uses such as concrete production as well as other construction products. Beneficial use can produce positive environmental, economic and performance benefits such as reduced use of resources, reduced cost of coal ash disposal, and improved strength and durability of building materials. Plant Bowen is currently home to the Ash Beneficial Use Center, a collaboration with Southern Company Research and Development and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), as well as Georgia Power's first beneficial use facility which was the largest of its kind at the time of construction in 2022.
Plant Bowen's Community Impact
Plant Bowen has been a cornerstone and major employer in Northwest Georgia for decades. The plant employs more than 400 people today and Georgia Power expects approximately 1,000 construction workers to be onsite supporting construction of the new natural gas and BESS facilities.
The investment at Plant Bowen is expected to more than double the plant's contribution to property tax revenues in Bartow County. Additionally, Georgia Power, the non-profit Georgia Power Foundation, and individual employees at Plant Bowen have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent years to local organizations with major fundraisers supporting local schools and education organizations, Toys for Tots of Bartow County, foster care programs and local food banks. The Plant Bowen chapter of the Citizens of Georgia Power, a volunteer organization of Georgia Power employees, retirees, and their spouses dedicated to community service, have donated more than 8,000 hours of community service since 2021.
As the plant continues to serve Georgia Power customers, so too are employees at the plant dedicated to serving Euharlee and the surrounding community.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the company's promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power offers rates below the national average, focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).
The Southern Company (SO) Q2 2026 Earnings Call July 30, 2026 1:00 PM EDT
Company Participants
Greg MacLeod - Director of Investor Relations
Christopher Womack - CEO, President & Chairman
David Poroch - Executive VP & CFO
Conference Call Participants
Nicholas Campanella - Barclays Bank PLC, Research Division
Shahriar Pourreza - Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Research Division
Carly Davenport - Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Research Division
Stephen D’Ambrisi - RBC Capital Markets, Research Division
Jeremy Tonet - JPMorgan Chase & Co, Research Division
Steven Fleishman - Wolfe Research, LLC
Andrew Weisel - Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets, Research Division
Julien Dumoulin-Smith - Jefferies LLC, Research Division
Richard Sunderland - Truist Securities, Inc., Research Division
Travis Miller - Morningstar Inc., Research Division
Presentation
Operator
Good afternoon. My name is Christine, and I will be your conference operator today. At this time, I would like to welcome everyone to The Southern Company Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. [Operator Instructions] As a reminder, this conference is being recorded.
I would now like to turn the call over to Mr. Greg MacLeod, Director of Investor Relations. Please go ahead, sir.
Greg MacLeod
Director of Investor Relations
Thank you, Christine. Good afternoon, and welcome to Southern Company's Second Quarter 2026 Earnings Call. Joining me today are Chris Womack, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Company; and David Poroch, Chief Financial Officer.
Let me remind you that we will make forward-looking statements today in addition to providing historical information. Various important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements, including those discussed in our Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and subsequent securities filings.
In addition, we will present non-GAAP financial information on this call. Reconciliations to the applicable GAAP measure are included in the financial information we released this morning as well as the slides for this conference call, which
Southern Co. (SO - Free Report) reported $6.98 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 2026, representing a year-over-year increase of 0.1%. EPS of $1.13 for the same period compares to $0.91 a year ago.
The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $7.36 billion, representing a surprise of -5.18%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of +11.88%, with the consensus EPS estimate being $1.01.
While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.
Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.
Here is how Southern Co. performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:
Operating Revenues- Southern Company Natural Gas: $966 million versus $1.05 billion estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -1.3% change.Operating Revenues- Southern Power: $535 million versus $651.2 million estimated by two analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a -2% change.Operating Revenues- Natural Gas revenues: $966 million compared to the $1.05 billion average estimate based on two analysts. The reported number represents a change of -1.3% year over year.Total retail sales: $37.97 billion versus the two-analyst average estimate of $38.19 billion. The reported number represents a year-over-year change of +2.1%.Net Income Available to Common- Southern Power: $-25 million versus $79.78 million estimated by two analysts on average.Net Income Available to Common- Southern Company Gas: $126 million versus the two-analyst average estimate of $142.46 million.View all Key Company Metrics for Southern Co. here>>>
Shares of Southern Co. have returned +1% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's -1.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating that it could perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
